Forgotten But Not Gone
by Sushi Chi
Summary: What happens when Charlie's mind goes into overdrive? [no FBI story Charlie centric Complete]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Numb3rs or the people who are in it. No matter how much I wish. I don't.**

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Alan smiled as the door opened. "Hey, Donnie."  
"Hi Dad." Don replied. "Smells good."  
"It should." Alan said with a smile, "Go and get your brother, dinner will be ready in just a few."  
"Alright." Don said, he started walking into the living room, then he turned back and went into the kitchen, "Dad?"  
"Yes?"  
"Where is Charlie?"  
"Oh." Alan said, "He's just in the garage." Alan looked at his son, "Wait. Before you go, tell me what happened."  
"W-What happened?" Don asked, backing away slightly.  
His father gave him a stern look, "Yes. What happened? You are walking as if you got hurt today."  
Don sighed and sat down. "Charlie came by the office today to help us with a case."  
"And he helped?"  
"Do you want to hear the story or not?" Don asked with a smile.  
Alan waved his hands, showing his son that he would stay quiet.  
Don continued, "And Charlie did help us. A lot. He told us where the perps where and everything. But when we got there, they weren't to happy to see us and they started shooting."  
"You got shot?!" Alan yelled at his son.  
"I was wearing my vest and all I got is some bruised ribs. It's no big deal."  
"No big deal?! You were shot at, Donnie. That is a big deal." Alan scolded his eldest son.  
"Alright. Fine. It's a big deal." Don said, getting a beer from the fridge, "Just don't tell Charlie."  
"Why would I not tell Charlie?" Alan asked.  
Don took a drink, "Because if you tell him then he will just freak out. And I don't want him to be doing the P vs. NP again. You know how he would react to something like this."  
Alan nodded, "Fine. Fine" He sighed, "Just go and get him."  
Don nodded and made his way to the garage.

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What Don and Alan didn't know is that while in the garage, Charlie could smell the food. His stomach growled. He put down his chalk and clapped his hands together, getting all the excess off them. He had had a good day, he even saw Don and the rest earlier. Don said that he was going to come over for dinner, but Charlie knew that you couldn't always count on Don for that, being a FBI Agent and all.  
When he was done putting everything away he opened the door and made his way to the house, he heard his dad and brother talking. Before Charlie could open the door, he heard Alan yell something at Don, something about Don being shot.  
Charlie closed his eyes and listened. He couldn't stay for the whole conversation. He had gotten his brother shot at. He ran back into the garage. He had to do something.

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Don could hear the frantic noise when chalk met board. He smiled and shook his head, that was Charlie for you. He opened the door and stepped inside. "Hey, Buddy. Time to eat."  
Charlie didn't stop writing.  
"Buddy. Did you hear me?"  
Charlie still didn't stop writing.  
"Charlie." Don's tone was getting annoyed, the clack of the chalk was making his nervous - with how fast it moved. "Charlie." Don said again, stepping toward his brother. He put a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Charlie?"  
Charlie just kept writing. He didn't stop. He kept going faster and faster.  
Don looked at the black board. He recognized some of the writing. Why would he recognize it? "Oh. Shit." Don dropped his beer bottle and then he tried grabbing Charlie without hurting him, but Charlie would not movie. Don sighed and ran in the house. "Dad! Dad!"  
"Donnie?! What is it?" Alan came striding over to him, "What's wrong?"  
"It's Charlie!" Don yelled.  
"What about Charlie?! Is he hurt?! Do I need to call 9-1-1?"  
"He's doing P vs. NP." Don answered him.  
"Oh my." Alan said slowly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Wanna thank everyone for the reviews. I hope you like this story a lot.  
I missed last weeks episode and so for a whole 'nother week, I have to live off reading and writing fanfiction.

* * *

**

Don and Alan ran out to the garage. Charlie had snapped and they didn't know why.

"Charlie!" Alan yelled, it seemed like he couldn't get to his son fast enough. Alan was in front of Don, he didn't know how he ended up there, Don was closer to the door and he had been sitting down when they decided to run to the garage.

_Don had just told Alan that Charlie had cracked. Alan didn't know what to do. Charlie had done this type of thing before, but there was always a good reason behind it. Alan gaped at Don, "I think he heard us talking."_

_Don's eyes grew, "You mean he heard that I got shot at?"_

_Alan nodded slowly. "That explains it. Because he's been acting fine all afternoon. He came in to get some water about an hour before you came by."_

_The two froze as they heard a crash coming from the garage._

_They hadn't thought to go back to Charlie right away, because he had done this before and they had never heard a crash like that._

_So, they started running._

Alan threw the door open to see Charlie on the ground bleeding. Alan rushed up to him while Don dialed 9-1-1.

"Buddy! Buddy!" Don yelled running up to the fallen Charlie.

Charlie's eyes fluttered open slowly. "Donnie?" He looked around, "Daddy?"

"Charlie, I'm here. Daddy's here." Alan said, holding onto his son.

Don smiled weakly down at his brother. "Hey, tell us what happened buddy." On a second thought, Don added, "But try and not talk to much. Alright?"

Charlie nodded, "Heard. Shot. P vs. NP. Death. Glass." he smiled weakly.

Don finally looked to see where he was bleeding. Oh God. His wrists. He slit his wrists. "Why Buddy? Why?" Don was screaming it now, frantic.

Don looked at his father, he was crying. He looked back at Charlie and saw that he was getting wet from tears. But it just wasn't Alan's tears. It was Don's too. Don realized that he was crying too.

They heard the sirens coming and a screeching halt. Don dried his tears. He was a FBI Agent. He could handle this. He got up and stepped outside of the garage, leaving Alan with Charlie.

"Hey." Don said to the first EMT he saw, "He's over here, in the garage." Don's voice wasn't as steady as he had hoped.

"What happened?" the man said, following Don in.

"My brother. He got cut on glass. He's loosing a lot of blood."

The EMT nodded and told Don and Alan to stand back. Don had to pry Alan away from Charlie.

Two other EMT's joined the first one. Don watched them work in a haze. He didn't remember what happened. He was in shock himself. Charlie had snapped and he had tried to kill himself. This can't be happening. It has to be a dream. It just has to be. Don looked at his father.

Alan was watching. He couldn't look away from all the blood. He should have known. For God Sakes! He lived in the same house with Charlie, he hadn't noticed Charlie acting different. But then, he was away with golf and the book club a lot. It just wasn't right. He wasn't there for his son when he needed him. His son. Don. Alan looked at Don and they're eyes connected.

They had the same horror showing in both pairs of eyes.

Two of the EMT's where taking Charlie to the ambulance in a stretcher. The third one walked up to Don and Alan. He sighed, wiping some blood off of his face. Charlie's blood. Don thought he was going to be sick. "It appears as if he had a suicide attempt. You two were lucky to have found him in time."

"Is he going to alright?" Don heard his father say. Alan's voice was quiet.

The EMT nodded, "Physically, yes. He seemed to have "cut" himself the wrong way. If he would have cut his wrist in a perpendicular line than what he had, there would have been little that we could do. We are taking him to the hospital now. If you would like, you both can ride with him in the ambulance."

Both Don and Alan nodded, rushing off to the vehicle.

* * *

They couldn't see him. They had to wait. He wasn't ready for any visitors. Not yet.

Don paced the lobby. Alan was sitting in a chair, watching his eldest son move. He wasn't allowed to see his other son. "Donnie. You should call work."

Don looked at his father, "Yeah. I'll go and do that." Don picked up his cell and let it ring.

_"FBI, This is Agent Granger."_

"Colby." Don whispered into his phone. Oh God. He was not going to cry over the phone.

_"Don. Hey. What's up?"_

"Charlie." Don said, in a stronger voice.

_"Yeah? What about the Wiz Kid? Looking for him? I haven't seen him since he came by earlier today."_

"Is in the hospital." Don finished.

The other end was quiet. _"W-Why? What happened?"_

"H-He slit his wrists."

_"My God." _Colby whispered,_ "Tell me what hospital you guys are at and we'll come right away."_

"That's not necessary. Just wanted to let you know that I might not show up for work tomorrow."

_"It is necessary." _Megan was talking now, _"We're coming. And we'll pick up Larry on the way. Where are you?"_

Don told them and hung up.

Alan watched Don with care, "All taken care of?"

"Yeah. the whole team and Larry are coming." Don sat down in the chair next to his fathers. He was exhausted.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
****A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. It means a lot. And I read them and try to do my best to fix some of the problems you all see. So, Chikory, I hope this chapter has better writing for you, and ****stealthy290**** and ****Curtisbrothersfan****, I will keep with the formatting from the second chapter.  
On another note, I (sadly) haven't been watching much Num3rs and I missed last weeks episode (Same episode as last week, being as it's just a day after I posted Chapter 2)! It was horrible when one misses an episode that one wanted to see. But today in WalMart I saw Season 2 on DVD. But, I didn't have enough money to buy it! I have to wait a bit longer before I can get it.  
Enough with my rambling, yes? On with the story then.**

"Why?" Don's voice seemed to echo to him. He turned his head slowly and looked at his dad.

Alan was sitting next to him in the empty Trauma Lobby. "I don't know." Alan said slowly, knowing that Don wanted facts. His son was a FBI Agent, he needed facts and clues to catch the perp. But, there were not facts, no clues, and the closest thing they had to a perp was Charlie.

Don did not like that answer. It wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to know why Charlie did this to himself. He hadn't protected his younger brother well enough and Charlie got hurt. Charlie was hurt and bleeding in the hospital because Don had left him. Oh God. Where were the restrooms? Don looked around quickly, running toward a sign that pointed him the way.

Alan watched his son run off. He knew why Don had ran, he was watching Don's thoughts on his face, they were clear as day. When his son's face started to get pale with a tint of green, Alan didn't need anyone to tell him where his son was going. Alan knew. Alan almost needed to do it himself.

The color of the restroom didn't help Don any when he ran into a stall. It was painted a deep fleshy color with red stalls. Just like Charlie's wrists looked like. For once, Don was glad that he hadn't had dinner yet. He flushed the toilet and when to watch his hands. He looked at himself in the mirror did not like what he saw. He was much paler than usual and he looked at least ten years older. He had dark eyes and nothing he could do would make himself look better. Except knowing that Charlie was alright. And that Charlie had not tried to kill himself. It just couldn't be true. It couldn't! No matter how often Don told himself that, deep down, he knew what he saw. Before leaving the restroom, he gave himself one more once over and almost retched again as he saw some of Charlie's blood on his clothes. Don ran out of the restroom, to his father. He needed his father.

Alan saw Don come running and stood up to hug his eldest son. "Donnie. I have some coffee for you, if you want to get that taste out of your mouth." Alan whispered in Don's ear when they were embracing. The two parted and looked each other in the eyes.

Don may have looked ten years older, but his father looked twenty years older. Don sat down, but was still holding Alan's hand. "Thanks." He said quietly, using his other hand to take a drink. Alan followed suit. Don put his cup down when he heard the doors open. He didn't know if it was going to be a doctor, family, friends, other patients, or Charlie who walked through.

Friends. It was friends who were close enough to be family.

Don and Alan both got up to greet them all.

Megan hugged Alan, "Be strong." She whispered in his ear.

Soon they were all sitting in the lobby together.

"What happened, Don?" David asked. "I wasn't near the phone when you called and Colby and Megan won't tell me or Larry what happened. We had trouble hearing where we were going."

"It's Charlie." Don said, his voice breaking some when he talked.

"Oh My. What about Charles?" Larry asked, his hand reaching up to his ear.

"We aren't for sure." Don answered, which got him a stern look from Alan.

"We know some of what happened and we've made some ideas as to why it happened." Alan sighed.

The four new comers just looked at the two, awaiting the details.

Don sighed, he knew he had to tell them. He felt as if it was his fault that Charlie did this to himself. "As you all know, we got shot at when we went to find the perps that Charlie had directed us to."

Larry raised his hand, "I didn't know that." He said quietly.

"Now, you do." Alan said, watching the door to see if a doctor was going to come and talk to them.

Don continued. "Charlie seemed to over her me telling Dad what happened." His voice cracked and his vision was getting blurry. He Would Not Cry. Not Now. He swallowed, "And then I went to get him because it was time to eat and -"

"I left the stove on." Alan said, alarmed. "I remember. I didn't get it shut off because we were rushing off here." He stood up, "I've got to go and shut it off."

David pushed Alan back down in his seat, "No. You need to stay here, for Charlie. I'll go. But I except to hear the story, the whole story, when I get back."

Don nodded in an agreement.

David turned and walked out.

"Finish up the story Donald, I'd like to know what happened to Charles."

Don nodded and took a breath. "So, I went to get him and when I walked in, he was writing frantically, he wouldn't stop."

"What was he working on?" Larry asked.

"I think it was P vs. NP again." Don sighed and shook his head,

"Oh Dear." Larry frowned, "Maybe I'll go and have a look at what he was doing, just to be sure."

Alan nodded, "That would be nice Larry."

"So, I went to tell dad about Charlie." Don continued, it seemed as if he hadn't even noticed that Larry and his father exchanged words, "And when we were inside, we heard a crash. I ran as fast as I could to get to him and I saw blood." Don couldn't stop it anymore. He was crying. "A-And his wrists where c-cut." Don took a chance and looked at his dad. Alan was crying too.

Alan looked up and saw his son, crying. He could feel himself crying. He had to do something for this son. Something he could do. He reached over and hugged Don again.

Megan sat down next to Don and started rubbing his back, she needed him to relax. She didn't want to see him have a breakdown as, it appeared, Charlie did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I love reviews.  
Oh and in case anyone is wondering, the name of this story is from the song "Broadway" by the Goo Goo Dolls.  
Gah, and I'm sorry if the writing isn't as good in this on as the last one. But I tried. I guess.**

* * *

Don heard the door open and he didn't want to look up. He knew it would be a doctor. He didn't want to hear what they had to say about Charlie. Charlie was fine. He hadn't put himself in the hospital. And Don wasn't the one who sent him over the edge by being shot at. Don shook his head, he knew that was all a lie.

"Family of Dr. Charles Eppes?" A very female voice asked.

Alan stood up and Megan made sure that Don looked up. "Yes. I'm his father and this is my other son, Donnie."

She looked at Megan, Colby, and Larry.

Alan waved his hands at them, "They're family too."

She was a tall blonde with dark highlights and big blue doe eyes. She eyed the other three, then sighed. "I am Dr. Mina Flint and Dr. Charles-"

"Charlie." Don said quietly, standing up next to his father. "Call him Charlie."

She nodded. "Alright. Charlie is going to be fine."

"Can we see him?" Alan asked quickly.

Mina shrugged, "He is out of surgery now."

"Surgery!?" Don yelled, his face getting red.

Mina nodded, "Yes. Didn't someone tell you?"

"No!" Don yelled again.

"Donnie, calm down. Getting angry isn't going to help anything." Alan said to Don, then he turned to Dr. Flint. "What was the surgery for?"

"We had to close his veins in his wrists better than they could on the scene." She sighed, "And to answer your previous question, you may see him, two at a time, and he is doped up on morphine, so he may not respond to you and if he does, he may not remember it later."

"I don't care. I want to see my brother." Don said, stronger than he thought he could.

Mina nodded, "Only two people." She held up two fingers.

"Donnie and I will go." Alan said as he got a nod from the other three, agreeing that was fair.

"I think that I will go to your house and have a look at Charles' work that he was writing on." Larry said.

"I'll drive you." Megan added, "And Colby?"

"I'll stay here, if that's alright..."

Alan nodded, "That would be great. Just wait here."

Mina Flint nodded to both of the Eppes, "Follow me."

* * *

_Charlie couldn't find anything. It just wasn't working. He couldn't put the windmill together. And the directions where getting all over everywhere. Charlie thought about it and he came to the conclusion that the directions would be easier to read if they weren't made of blue silly putty. Silly putty? That couldn't be right. Charlie's logical mind was trying to make sense of it all but it was having trouble seeing past the blue putty. Windmill? Charlie couldn't see the windmill anymore. That or it was talking to him. He heard two voices. Was both the windmill and the silly putty talking to him at the same time? No, that wasn't logical. But then, where did the voices come from?_

_He did not feel well at all. He couldn't feel below his elbows on his arms and his body was sore all over. The windmill he was making must have hit him a few time and he tried to stop it with his hands. That explains why he couldn't feel them. Charlie tried to sit on the ground, but he realized that he was lying on it. Maybe that was what was wrong with his windmill, he was making it in the air. Gravity would not stand for a windmill in the air, not touching the ground. Maybe he could write an equation to help the windmill realize that it was supposed to be on the ground. And it wasn't supposed to talk. The voice did sound familiar. And the putty. It was beside the windmill, and it was talking too._

_Charlie groaned, why could the fly? It hurt his head thinking about it.

* * *

_

Charlie groaned. "Think he's waking up?" Alan asked his son.

Don was staring at his brother's wrists. They were swollen and bandaged up. He could see some pink in the white of the bandage. He looked at Charlie. He had IV's coming from him and when Don looked at Charlie's face, he got frightened. His little brother was so pale and thin with dark lines under his eyes. The blood loss couldn't have done all of that too him, so Charlie had been having some problems for awhile. Don could have killed himself for not noticing. His brother had needed him, as the protector one more time and he hadn't been there for Charlie. Charlie had been going down the rabbit hole for awhile now, deeper into his own mind and Don was so selfish for not noticing. No. It wasn't Don's fault. Charlie should have told him. Talked about it. Something, for God Sakes Don was Charlie's brother he didn't what was going on in Charlie's life!

Alan was watching both of his sons. Don hadn't answered him before and he understood why. Don had a lot on his mind right now. And Alan was worried about both of his sons. He knew that Charlie would be getting the help he needed now, but Don wouldn't go and tell other's about his feelings. Alan sighed. "Donnie. Talk to me."

Don looked up at his father, "About what?"

"Anything. Please." Alan begged.

"Dad, d-did you know that Charlie was having troubles?"

That took Alan aback, he shook his head slowly, "No. But I should have noticed."

"No. Come down. Ya can't fly."

Don and Alan looked down at Charlie.

"Charlie, Charlie. Wake up, daddy's here."

"Yeah. Come on buddy. Open your eyes."

Charlie's eyes fluttered open slowly, he groaned. "Bright." His voice was rough.

Don rushed over and put the lights on dim, "Better, Buddy?"

"Better." Charlie said, looking around, "Where'd they go?"

"Where id what go, son?" Alan asked, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Mill n' putty." He smiled slowly, "There they are." Charlie tried to reach out, but he couldn't move his arms. They were numb.

Don looked at Alan, who was crying now. Don didn't understand what Charlie was talking about. _Either he is crazy or it's just the morphine._ He told himself. "Charlie. Buddy." He said quietly, painfully.

"Donnie." Charlie turned his head and looked at him, smiling.

The door opened and a man came in, "Ah. Dr. Charles is up."

"Call me Chuck." Charlie said nodding. "And say hello to Daddy, Donnie, Windmill, and Blue Silly Putty." He skipped a beat then added, "I call the latter two Toby and Flynn."

The man nodded to everyone and sat down next to Charlie. "Hello, Chuck. My name is Dr. Harry Roland." Harry Roland was a tall man with short dark hair and pale green eyes, he was broad shouldered and he work glasses with dark rims.

"I thought that Dr. Flint was his doctor." Alan said, slowly.

"Ah, she is. I'm going to be talking to Chuck to find out what is going on in that head of his." He smiled at them.

"Don't call him that." Don said quietly.

"What was that?"

Don looked at Dr. Roland and met his gaze, "Don't call him Chuck. He doesn't like it. He likes to be called Charlie."

Harry nodded, "I understand." He looked at Charlie who seemed to be dreaming again, probably about Toby and Flynn again, "Morphine often makes people say what they don't mean." He shot a glance at Charlie's wrists. "This is the first time he did this, right?"

"Yes. It is." Alan said sadly.

"And does he see a therapist?"

"Not that I know of, Doctor."

Dr. Roland nodded and stood up, "Alright. Nothing much more I can for him right now, but tomorrow I am told that he will be off the morphine and on some other pain reliever so that he will be more," He paused, "there, astute, whatever the word I'm looking for is." He shrugged, "I'm not the best with words all the time. I understand that you are Charlie's father and brother?"

The both nodded to him.

"And I would like to know if there has been any mental illness in your family."

"Nobody that I know of." Don said, "But I can look into it."

"My great aunt Beth. I don't remember what she had, but she had to take some medication." Alan said quietly.

Dr. Roland nodded and made a note. "Chances are he didn't get it from her if it is hereditary."

"You know that he is crazy?" Don asked, ice in his voice, "You don't even know him!"

"Donald!" Alan scolded.

Dr. Roland waved his hand, "No. I understand. I've just met him. You both know him for all of his life. It makes sense that you would get mad at me for thinking he is crazy right away. But, Agent Eppes, you must understand that I am supposed to think that. There is a large chance that his well and not sick at all, but in a case like this, we must think that he might have had a ..." He waved his hand about, trying to think of the words, "... Psychotic break or something."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I've very glad that you all like this story so much. Means a lot to me.  
And I have fun writing it too :3  
Oh, and about my spelling. Yeah. Let's just say that I'm not the best and even though I check it, some words pass through.

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**

"_Psychotic Break"_ Don couldn't get that out of his mind. His brother was crazy. What was a psychotic break anyway? Don got up from the chair. He was in Charlie's hospital room with Alan. He started pacing. He couldn't remember what a psychotic break was.

"Donnie."

Don stopped and looked at his father.

"Come and sit." Alan patted the chair where Don had been sitting.

Don looked at the empty yellow chair. He shook his head, "Sorry, Dad. But I can't. I just can't." He started walking around again, but his feet lead him to the chair, where he ended up sitting in anyway. "What exactly is a psychotic break?"

Alan looked at his son. "Oh, Donnie." He paused, "I-I honestly don't know. I was hoping you did so that you could tell me." He chuckled a bit, "But we can ask Dr. Roland when he comes back tomorrow."

Don nodded, that was a good idea. Ask the professional. Don let out the breath that he didn't know he was holding onto.

Alan patted his eldest son on the back, "It'll be alright. Charlie's gonna be fine." Alan hoped he could convince Don, because he couldn't convince himself. "You'll see, tomorrow. This will all be just a misunderstanding." Alan looked at the clock on the wall. It was just past 11 am. "Come on, Donnie. We should get some sleep. We can go to ..." Alan took a breath, "... Charlie's house."

Don quickly looked at Charlie, who was sleeping soundly. He didn't want to leave his brother. He needed to be there when Charlie woke up again. To help Charlie. To be Charlie's protector. It's what he needed. Don wasn't for sure if it was what Charlie needed, but it was for him. Because when he wasn't with Charlie, he was driving himself crazy with thought about him. Eh. Don hated that saying now. Being drove crazy. It's not a very good saying anyway. He would just make up his mind never to say anything like that again.

"You're father's right, Don." Dr. Mina Flint walked in, "You should get some sleep. But I understand that you may not want to leave your brother."

"You're still here?" Don asked, shocked.

"I did leave, but one of my patients had an emergency, and so while I was here, I wanted to check up on Charlie too." She replied, monotone.

"Oh. I hope that the other patient is alright." Alan said, standing up with Don and the doctor.

"I'm afraid he died. Heart attack." She said sadly. "Anyway, you both are welcome to stay in this room for a few nights, until you feel that Charlie is safe."

Don looked around the almost empty room, "And where are we supposed to sleep?"

Mina nodded her head to the couch, "That folds out into a bed. I'll have a nurse bring in some pillows for you both." She turned and started walking away, "I'll be back around 9 to check in."

So, Don and Alan started to pull out the bed that lay in wait in the couch. It was a queen, so they could both sleep on it, and the blankets where already there, so the two of them sat down on it. Not ready for sleep quite yet.

"What's going to happen to him?" Don asked, indicating to his younger brother.

Alan sighed, "I don't know. I just don't know."

Don closed his eyes and leaned back. The door came open and a young woman walked in, she had red hair and dark brown eyes. "Here are your pillows. If either of you need me, I'll be here. My name is Alice." She smiled and handed them the white pillows. "Sleep well, both of you." She looked at Charlie, "And I know that I don't have to tell him to sleep." She smiled and closed the door.

* * *

_**Earlier**_

David had put out the fire. He sighed. He was glad that he showed up at Alan's - no, Charlie's - house when he did. Alan had started freaking out about the stove for good reason. When David had shown up, there was a small fire, which didn't take long to get out. But if he had been just a little bit later, he would have had to call the fire department. David slumped down in a chair. He needed to tell them about the fire, right? But if he did, what would happen? He looked around, nothing was burnt, just the food. He chewed on his lip thinking, and that's when he heard a car pull up. David hadn't thought that anyone else was coming, so he made his way to the window to look outside, his gun ready.

David sighed in relief when he saw that it was only Megan and Larry. But why were they here? Did something happen? David put away his gun and rushed outside to greet them.

"Oh, hey David." Megan said.

"Is everything alright?"

Megan had to think for a second, "Yeah..."

David sighed, "It's just that at first I thought you came here to tell me that something happened at the hospital."

"Oh, no. Nothing happened David." Larry said, wondering toward the garage, "I just wanted to have a look at Charlie's numbers."

Megan smiled at David, "He thinks there might be a clue as to why Charlie did that to himself in the math."

David nodded, "I see. That's makes sense, I guess."

So, the three of them made their way to the garage. When they got in, they had to make sure they didn't step in any broken glass. Larry almost had to run outside sick when he saw all the blood. There was just so much of it. And it all came out of Charlie. Larry was a logical man, but he didn't think Charlie had that much blood in his body. Megan had walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, helping him out through that ordeal. Larry was here for math, not blood. So, he looked up at the black board.

To Megan and David, all the math looked like a foreign language to them, and in a way it was. They didn't understand math like Charlie did and they knew that they wouldn't understand any of it. Charlie had always explained it to them. And every time he did, they were always amazed how easy he made it sound.

But to Larry, if math was a foreign language, then he was fluent in it. But, this math was ... gibberish. "I. Uh. Huh." Larry said lamely.

"What is it? Is it P vs. NP?" David asked, looking at the foreign language.

Larry threw his hands about his head, "I think it started as P vs. NP. Over there." He pointed to one side of the board, "But then, it just. Huh."

"So, not P vs. NP?" Megan asked, getting confused.

"Not really." Larry replied, walking closer to the board, "It seems as if Charles had trouble keeping his mind on one thing. It just changes." He pointed to a middle section of the work, "This here, he taught it yesterday to his class."

"How do you know that?" David asked.

"I sat in with the students. I had a free period and I was curious as to what Charles was teaching that day." Larry looked at the mess of math one more time, "It's like he couldn't keep his mind concentrated on one thing."

* * *

When Larry, Megan, and David showed up at the hospital, they weren't allowed to go into Charlie's room. Even though they had something that may shine some light on the ordeal. But, that being the case, they didn't get to talk to the Eppes family, but Dr. Harry Roland instead. He showed up fifteen minutes after he had been called.

He yawned as he walked up to them, "Got information?"

"Yes. I believe we do." David told him.

"I've been told it's about Charlie Eppes ..." Harry said, getting his pencil from his pocket.

"Yes, it is. It should help. But why aren't we talking to Don and Alan?" Megan inquired.

Harry had to stifle another yawn. "Because I should be told first. They are with Charlie right now, and the information you give may just scare them. So, tell me and I'll tell them what is going on." He shrugged, "Sound good to you?"

Megan nodded.

"So, whose going to tell me?"

"I believe that would be me, Doctor." Larry said, "Now, I understand that you are Charlie's therapist?"

Dr. Roland nodded, "And I understand that you work with him."

Larry nodded, "Yes. Of course. So sorry for these so late. But I'm Dr. Larry Fleinhardt, this is Agent David Sinclair and Agent Megan Reeves. "

The doctor nodded, "I'm Dr. Harry Roland. Now, please tell me what you know."

"As I'm sure you know," Larry started, "Charlie seemed to uh." He paused, not wanting to say what happened out loud, " Do this during and after he was working on math in the garage." The doctor nodded, "Well, being as I would be one of the few who would understand what he was writing, I decided to have a look at Charles's work." The doctor nodded again, "And what I found was a mess."

"A mess, Dr. Fleinhardt?"

Larry nodded, pulling on his hear now, "He started out working on P vs. NP, which he does sometimes when things get to him, but then it just changes and it's just." Larry thought for a word to use, "nonsense."

"It didn't make sense? At all?" Harry wrote something down on his clipboard, no longer yawning.

"Not at all, it was like he couldn't keep his mind on one thing, it was just random math." Larry replied.

Dr. Roland nodded, "Thanks for telling me this. It has helped me and Charlie a lot." He started walking away then Megan put a hand on his shoulder, turning him around.

"Please. Tell us what is going on with Charlie."

Dr. Harry Roland sighed, "I am sorry, but I cannot tell you that. I have to tell Mr. and Agent Eppes, and if they see you fit, they will tell you. Now, if you excuse me.

Dr Roland ran up to Charlie's room. He knew that Charlie would still be out, but he knew that he would find Alan and Don with him. He rushed the door open and turned on the light. He saw that Don and Alan had been asleep on the fold out bed.

"Dr. Roland?" Alan asked, sitting up quickly. "Is everything alright?"

"I am sorry, did I wake you two?"

"No." Don said, getting up, "We weren't asleep yet. So, is everything alright?"

"I think I know what Charlie is suffering from."

"How can you know that already. You've talked to him once, and he was morphine then." Don said, accusingly. This man could not know what was wrong with Charlie already.

"I am sorry, but I have. I have very good reason to believe that I am right." Dr. Roland said, sitting down in a near by chair.

"How can that be? My son is right, you shouldn't know already." Alan said quietly.

"Well, talking with all of his family and friends and looking at his history I know that he is a genius. Most genius' have some sort of mental illness because their brains can't stop working. Those are some reasons as to why I have came up with my conclusion."

"Those are not good enough reasons for why you know already." Don said, angrily.

Harry nodded, "That is true. And if those were my only reasons, I would not have come up with a conclusion already."

"You have more reasons, Doctor?" Alan asked, getting a bit confused. What else was there to know about Charlie without talking to him.

"As it turns out, Charlie has been seeing a Therapist."

"What?!" Don asked.

"Charlie, He, he never told me." Alan said, shocked.

The good doctor nodded, "It seems as if he didn't want you or anyone else to worry about him, so he kept it a secret. I found out when I started asking about him. His regular therapist contacted me when he didn't show up for his daily session."

"Daily? He goes daily?" Don looked at his sleeping brother. He kept so many secrets. Don didn't know his little brother as well as he thought. And that worried him. What else was Charlie hiding?

"When Charlie gets to busy, he makes a phone call and tells Dr. Tirry that he isn't coming. So, when he didn't show up yesterday, he just thought that Charlie had forgotten to call, until he heard that Charlie had, snapped." His voice was soothing to the two others as he told them this, "Charlie's appointments are after office hours because he wanted to keep it a secret. They are at 8 pm."

Alan's mouth dropped open, "He is never home at 8 anymore. I never really questioned him about it, because he is a grown boy and when I did ask, he told me he was just going to help Don or work on his school work."

Harry nodded, "Dr. Tirry and I talked and we have concluded of some possible illnesses he was suffering from, but we were not for sure as to which ones they were. And we wouldn't have been until I could talk to Charlie tomorrow."

"But you know now?" Don asked.

Harry nodded again, "As it turns out, Dr. Fleinhardt looked at Charlie's math that he was working on when he went over board, and it was just a mess. His math shows that he couldn't keep his mind on one thing." He paused, "And that narrowed down the illnesses."

Everyone was quiet, listening to Charlie sleep.

Don looked up, asking what his father could not, "What is Charlie suffering from?"

"I believe he had at least a psychotic break." Dr. Roland paused for a beat, "And that he is probably suffering from a bipolar disorder with possible symptoms of psychosis"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Don't worry everyone, the story will work out happily in the end.  
So, stick with me.  
And if you haven't, I'd reread the last chapter because ****FluffNutter**** pointed out something that hadn't crossed my mind and now the ending is a little different. Just to let you know.  
I am also the proud owner of Numb3rs Season 2 on DVD.  
And that is why this chapter took so long to get up, for I was watching it and I'm done watching it now.

* * *

**

"Charlie." Dr. Harry Roland said, aggressively.

Charlie quickly turned his head to his doctor. "Yes?" Charlie had awoken around 10 am in the morning, with his sudden awakening, it scared Don and Alan half to death. They had both been asleep on the bed in his room when they woke up to Charlie screaming. Don was out of bed before he had opened his eyes.

_"Buddy?" Don asked quickly._

_"Donnie?!" Charlie yelled out._

_Don hugged Charlie, "It's me. I'm here. Dad's here too." He let go of Charlie and let Alan hug him._

_When Alan pulled away, his sleeve where Charlie's head had been was wet. Don noticed and looked at Charlie. He was crying. "What's wrong Buddy?" Don sat down next to Charlie._

_"I did it. I'm dead now. I know I am." He nodded his head frantically. "I felt the life come out of me, svuvf. pop." He said the latter two words quietly. He was rocking himself._

_Don and Alan exchanged a look. This was not good. This was in fact, horribly wrong. Charlie did not act like this. And it was not the morphine this time. In fact, Dr. Mina Flint had decided to not give him anymore pain killers because Dr. Harry Roland needed to talk to Charlie. The real Charlie, not Charlie on drugs. So, for at least one day, he was going to have to endure the pain he put himself in._

_"Charlie." Alan said, "Look at me. Look at me son." Alan had to force his youngest son's head up so that he could see his face. "Look at me, now."_

_Charlie did was he was told, and his eyes were unfocused and zipping all over the place._

_"Charlie. Listen to me. Focus on Daddy." Alan said, trying to hold Charlie still, "You are not dead. You are alive with Daddy and Donnie. Do you hear me? We would not let you leave us. Do you hear me?"_

_Charlie managed a, "Yes." and during that small statement, he sounded like his old self again. Sure, determined, of sane mind. But that Charlie was gone in an instant. The other Charlie was back again._

_"Alright. I think we should get someone in here." Alan said, standing up away from Charlie. He couldn't bear to see his son like that._

_Don nodded, "Yeah." He said simply._

Dr. Roland showed up soon after that.

"Charlie." Dr. Harry Roland said, aggressively.

Charlie quickly turned his head to his doctor. "Yes?"

"Answer my question." When Charlie was quiet, Harry sighed, "Do you remember what I asked you?"

Charlie shook his head, "N-No. I'm sorry. I thought I saw my mom."

"Charlie. You're mom is not here. Alright? Now, tell me. Have you been eating and sleeping regularly in the past few weeks?"

Charlie sat and was quiet, his face scrunched up, "N-No. I don't think I have."

Harry nodded, "Good Charlie. Work with me. What do you remember about that time. How have you been feeling these past few weeks?"

"My mom. You know, she missed me when I was in the garage." Charlie said, taking shallow breathes. "I wasn't with her. And when I wasn't with her, I was sad. And she was sad. I needed to be with her." His breathes became faster and shallower. "I just, I-"

Harry held Charlie's head still, "Breath, Charlie. Breath. Deep breaths. Slow down."

Charlie was slowing down, not breathing as deep, but his eyes were everywhere at once. What was happening to him? He couldn't concentrate, he felt horrible. He just wanted to dig himself a whole and stay there. Let the world go on without him.

"Charlie. I know about Dr. Tirry." Harry said, after Charlie's breathing was under control.

"No, no, no, no." Charlie was not wanting to listen. "You don't know about Tirry because he isn't real. Just like me. Not real. Dead."

Don watched in horror. This was his brother? What happened to him? If he had been seeing a doctor, had he been getting better? If he was getting better, Don didn't even want to think about what Charlie must have been like before. And he kept all of it a secret.

"No Charlie. You are alive and Dr. Tirry is real. He is worried about you. Just like your family and friends are." Harry said, in a soothing voice which seemed to helping ground the mathematician.

"No. Nu-uh. They aren't worried about me." Charlie was whispering. "To my friends, I am only there to bounce ideas off. To my Daddy I am just a burden. A-and to Donnie I am just a resource that he exploits in order to solve his cases. No, they aren't worried about me. They're worried about their tool that they use in their lives. I know it's true." Charlie nodded, looking down at his wrists. "And to me, I'm nothing."

* * *

Don couldn't take it much more of that. He stormed out of Charlie's room and into the hallway. Don paced the area in front of the door and then he turned on the wall, punching it. The anger left him as pain grew in his hand.

Alan had followed his eldest son out, to see if he was going to be alright. He was there just in time to witness the punch. "Donnie."

Don turned, tears threatening to spill, "I didn't know that Charlie felt that way."

Alan shook his head, "Neither did I. I don't think of him as a burden. He is my son, and my sons will never be a burden."

Don put his back against the wall and slid down, so that he was sitting on the floor. He had helped make Charlie feel that way. He had made Charlie feel inadequate, so that he thought he was nothing. But Charlie was something. He was more than something. He was family. Charlie was the best brother Don could ever imagine. Sure, Don hadn't felt that way growing up, but now, he knew that Charlie would do anything to help Don. "I pushed him too much on my cases."

"No. He is a grown man, he should know when to tell you no." Alan said, sitting beside his son.

"If I had known that Charlie wasn't getting enough sleep and food, I wouldn't have pushed him so much." Don said, resting his hands on his knees, "He keeps too many secrets."

"Well, we aren't a family who talks that much. That's for sure." Alan said, nodding. "But right now, he needs us. Right now, we can talk to him, help him." Alan looked at Don, "We should get back in there and be with him. Because if he sees that we are not there for him, I think that he will only get worse."

Don thought about that. He couldn't stand to see his brother in that condition, But Alan was right. If they were not there for him, then Charlie would not get much better, if at all. Don sighed and stood up. He turned and held his hand out for his dad. "Come on. Charlie needs us."

Alan took the hand and got up as well, "Yes. He does." He turned and the two walked back into the room.

"I told you." They could hear Charlie talking. "To them I am nothing. They left. I don't matter to anyone."

"Buddy." Don said, as he closed the door and walked closer of Charlie. "You are not nothing. You are my brother. My genius brother. And I love you. Hear me?" Don sat down next to Charlie.

"And I told you." Harry said to Charlie, "That they would be back. I don't lie when I talk. Unlike you."

Alan was surprised that Charlie's doctor just called Charlie a liar. Sure, Charlie kept his secrets. But at this stage in his heath, Alan did not think that was the best thing for the man to tell Charlie.

"I do not lie!" Charlie yelled, his eyes reaching the doctor, steadily. "I do not lie." Charlie was sitting normal. His tone was normal. He seemed like his old self again.

"You don't?" Harry asked, "Then, have you been eating and sleeping regularly?"

"No."

"Have you been seeing a therapist named Dr. Tirry daily?" Harry was making notes.

"I try to."

"For how long?"

"About a month." Charlie said slowly.

"And why did you seek out a therapist?" Harry was keeping eye contact with Charlie.

"Because I was seeing things and I couldn't concentrate."

"Did he give you any medications?"

Charlie started looking around again. "I-I don't know. You can ask him."

"Charlie." Dr. Roland snapped his fingers, causing Charlie to look at him. "He did give you medications. Did you take them?"

"I don't think so." Charlie replied slowly, having to think.

"Why didn't you take them, Charlie?"

"Because that way they couldn't track and control me." Charlie answered, his eyes darting about.

Dr. Roland sighed, "Thank you for your time Charlie. I will see you again later. Tomorrow at the latest." He let Charlie to himself as he walked over to Don and Alan. "I am glad that you both came back in. It helped him a lot."

Don nodded, "I just. I just hate seeing him like this."

Harry nodded, "Yes. I understand. But both of you need to help him through this. If either of you leave his side while he is awake, you must make sure he knows why you are leaving and when you should be back."

Both Don and Alan nodded, understanding that would help Charlie in great ways. Just letting Charlie know that he was important to them would help him right now.

"Doctor?" Alan asked as Harry turned to leave the room.

"Yes, Mr. Eppes?"

"Are you going to commit my son?"

Don took a deep breath. He was worried about the answer. He didn't want Charlie to be in one of those places. Charlie needed to be with him and his dad. Charlie needed to be with his family and friends, not some doctor who is just going to treat him like any other person. Because Charlie was not any other, he was beyond that. Charlie was, Charlie.

Harry sighed, "I hope I don't have to. He may be released in a day or two and if he and you both feel up to it, he can go home. But either I or Dr. Tirry will be coming over daily to check up on him, and you would have to take good care of him."

"I understand, and I will do my best to help my son in anyway he needs." Alan said.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Thanks to all my readers for. Uh. Leaving reviews n' such.  
Now, just wanting to make sure that all of you reread the ending to chapter 5. I think it's 5 ...  
****Anyway, just wanting to check because last chapter had a lot of A/N to read and some of you may have forgotten to do that. Yeah. Done with my rambling now.

* * *

**

After Dr. Harry Roland left the room, Don and Alan sat and just watched Charlie for a length. They had to get used to seeing him like this. Charlie was sitting up, with his hands and head both resting on his knees, and his eyes where everywhere at once, and he mumbling something under his breath.

Don was getting angry at Charlie. Charlie had not been open and told them that he had been seeing a therapist. And look where that has gotten Charlie. He is in a hospital because he hadn't told his family and friends. If he had only told Don, Don would have. He would have done something. Or, he hopes so. Don decided that Charlie was being selfish for not telling them about what he was doing. When Charlie was better, Don would be talking to him.

Alan was just worried. Charlie shattered, and Don. Well, Don didn't look too happy with the current situation. Of course, Alan wasn't either, but he could tell that Don was getting angry with his little brother. Alan shook his head, he knew that Charlie would have told them, if he wasn't already thinking everything was out to get him. Probably. Alan stood up and shifted his weight before finally deciding he was going to do it. Alan walked over and sat next to Charlie on his bed. Charlie had flinched when Alan sat down, and that just tore at Alan's heart. His own son flinched. "Shh. Charlie. It's okay. It's only Daddy." He started rubbing Charlie's back and Charlie seemed to be calming down a bit.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Charlie?"

"I-I'm scared."

That got Don's attention. He jerked his head up and looked at his father and brother. Charlie was holding onto Alan for dear life. Don almost fell from his chair when he saw Charlie's face, it was naked fear. He had never seen Charlie look like that before.

"Of what, son?"

"Everything." Charlie whispered, hugging Alan tighter.

Don got up. He couldn't be mad at his brother. Not now, maybe later. He sat down on the other side of Charlie. Once again, Charlie flinched. "Hey, Buddy. It's just Don." He said soothingly. "You don't have to be scared. I'm here to protect you, got it?"

Charlie nodded slowly.

The door opened and Charlie had not been ready for that. He clung onto Alan even tighter after he jumped.

Alice, the nurse from before came in. "Oh. Hi." She said weakly. "Uh. Charlie needs to eat and I'm supposed to get what kind of gelatin he wants."

"Gelatin? Does he have to eat that?" Don asked.

"Well ... I guess not. I can bring him other food if he wants." Alice shrugged. "But I don't know what he likes. Will one of you come with me."

Alan had to pry Charlie off of him, "I'll go with you, Alice." He wanted to go so that Don and Charlie could have to time with each other.

Charlie tried to keep a hold of his father, but soon he realized that it was no use. "D-Daddy?"

Alan smiled at his son, "Don't worry, Charlie. I will be right back. I'm going to get food, because you need to eat. Okay?"

"Oh kay." Charlie replied slowly, nodding.

Alan nodded briefly and turned and walked out of the room with Alice.

Don looked at his brother. He was frightened, thin, pale, and God knows what else. "Hey, Chuck." Don said, with a slight smile on his lips.

"Don't call me that." Charlie replied, in a stronger voice than before.

"What? Don't call you Chuck?"

Charlie nodded, meeting Don's gaze, "I don't like it. Don't call me that."

Don nodded. "What should I call you then? Wiz Kid?"

Charlie shook his head, "Colby calls me that. B-But I like it when you call me Buddy. I don't let anyone else call me Buddy. Only you."

Don almost fell off the bed. He didn't know that Charlie felt that way. Don realized he didn't know that much about how Charlie felt. Now was the time to really get to know his brother. "Really?"

Charlie nodded. "Donnie?"

"Yeah, Buddy?"

"I don't like it here. I wanna go home." His voice was heart breaking.

"I know." Don said, stroking his younger brother's hair. "I know."

This time when the door came open, Don had got Charlie to at least part of a reality, that he didn't jump or flinch. Alan came in and when he saw his two son's together he smiled. "Hey. I've got food."

"Not hungry." Charlie said, trying to back up, but having nothing to back unto, except Don's arms.

"You need to eat, Dr. Eppes." Alice said, bringing the tray over. "And then after you eat, you need to sleep."

"B-But I slept all night."

"You were on medication which made you sleep all night. Doesn't count." Alice said, getting his tray on a small table and putting beside his bed.

"No. I don't want to eat. I don't want to sleep." He was digging himself a hole in Don's arms. "I don't. I don't. I don't."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "If you don't, I'll have to alert some of your doctors."

"Yeah, Buddy." Don said, smiling down at Charlie. "You need to eat and sleep. It will alright. I promise."

Charlie looked at Don, then the food, then Alan, Alice, back at Don. "B-But..." Charlie protested.

"The more you eat and sleep, the sooner you can go home." Don replied to the protest.

"He's right Charlie. If you show that you will take care of yourself enough, you can go home with me tomorrow." Alan said, indicating the food.

Charlie looked around again and nodded. "Alright." He had given in.

* * *

While Charlie was sleeping Larry, Megan, David, and Colby all came in.

"How is Charles doing?"

"H-He's the best he can." Alan replied, getting up to great them all.

David stepped up to Alan, "You know, yesterday when I went to check your stove. Well, there was a small fire." Alan's eyes widened. "But don't worry, it was only the food in the pan that was on fire. I put it out right away." David rushed. Alan nodded his thanks.

"What's going to happen to him?" Colby asked, giving a sympathetic look at Charlie.

"He might come home with me tomorrow or the day after." Alan replied.

"Well, that's good." Megan said, sitting down. "So, what's all happening here?"

"Turns out he's been seeing a therapist for about a month now, and the past few weeks he's been going daily." Don said quietly.

"Oh My. I had no idea that Charles was doing that." Larry said, sitting next to Megan.

"He didn't tell anyone and he didn't take the medications that Dr. Tirry, his therapist, prescribed to him." Don stated, "And he hasn't been eating or sleeping until now."

Larry nodded, "Whenever I would ask him to eat lunch with me, he always said that he either busy or going to have lunch with someone else."

"Why wasn't he telling anyone?" David asked, shifting his weight from side to side.

"Apparently, he thought he was protecting us or he thought that we were after him." Alan said, his gaze to the floor, "Or something like that."

They were all quiet as the watched Charlie sleep.

* * *

_It was dark, and Charlie never really liked the dark. He felt as if something was after him. Something big and unstoppable. Something that would consume him whole. This really frightened Charlie because whatever would swallow him had to be huge. And my mathematical ratios it's mouth would have to open to be at least as tall as Charlie. If only he had some chalk and a blackboard, he could write an algorithm to find out how big this thing is. But Charlie couldn't stop running from it. It was gaining on him as he thought about it. Charlie was running as fast as he could but he wasn't getting anywhere. It seemed as if physical laws in this plane where distorted. He needed to talk with Larry about that.

* * *

_

Charlie had slept through the rest of the day. Both Dr. Flint and Dr. Roland where glad about that. And that he ate all of his food that they had given him. It was also good progress that Alan and Don, both, could calm Charlie down. Dr. Flint said that Charlie was physically well enough to go home, but he did have to come back in next week to get a check up on his wrists. Dr. Roland said he wanted to wait until tomorrow to even really put thought to when he should go home.

But, when Charlie woke up from his dream about darkness to a dark room, it frightened him. He didn't feel the presence of the thing that was chasing him. But he heard loud noises. Scary, loud noises. He started whimpering. He couldn't see Don or Alan. And Don promised that the was going to be there to protect him. He had lied. Don had lied to him. Don didn't really like him. Tears flooded past Charlie's eyes as he thought about how alone he was, and that he would have to take care of the monster by himself. He knew that while he fought it, he would die. And that didn't scare him as much as he thought it would have.

Don woke up to hear sobbing. He couldn't see Charlie, but he knew it was his brother.

Charlie got frightened even more when one of the loud noises stopped. What did it mean? Did it mean that whatever was making the noise before is dead? Killed off by the thing that made the other noise? Or did it mean that the thing was after him, and was ready to pounce?

Don got up, he needed to find a light switch. "Ouch. Damn It!" Don yelled as he stubbed his toe. He was hopping around, grabbing out toward the walls, trying to find the switch when he heard Charlie.

Charlie knew that voice. The one that spoke. Don must have killed the thing that made the noise. And now, while fighting the other one, he got hurt. Don got hurt trying to protect him. "Donnie!"

"Charlie!" Don said, as he finally found the light. He turned it on and saw that Charlie's face was wet from the tears, and it was also full of fear. Don rushed over to his brother. "It's alright Charlie."

The other loud noise stopped. Charlie looked around, his father was opening his eyes. "Eh? What's going on?" He mumbled. He looked over at Charlie who was clinging to Don, "Oh."

Charlie was looking wildly about him. "What was making the noises? I don't see anything." He was frantic now.

"Shh. Charlie. Buddy. What noises?" Don said cradling him.

"T-There were two. Loud. Rhythmic." Charlie couldn't stop shaking.

Alan understood. He smiled a bit, "Charlie. That was just Don and I snoring."

"N-no. No. No. It couldn't have been. It was the monsters that are out to get me." He felt Don's hand rubbing his back. Don was rocking him in a smooth motion.

"Buddy. I think it was just us snoring. Alright?" Don said, soothingly. His brother needed him right now. He would get mad at Charlie for making him worry so much later.

Charlie nodded, but Don wasn't convinced that Charlie believed him.

Alan yawned. "We'd better get some more shut eye." Alan laid back down on the bed. "Don, make sure you shut off the light on your way back over here."

"No! Don't shut off the light!" Charlie yelled.

"Buddy?" Charlie looked up at Don, his eyes darting about Don's face. "How about we shut off the light, but you sleep with me and dad in the bed?"

"Yeah, Charlie. You can sleep in between us." Alan said, moving over a little bit, making room for two people.

"I-I guess." Charlie nodded slowly.

"Alright. I'm going to put you in the bed, then go and shut off the light. Alright?" Don asked, making Charlie look at him, "Alright?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. That should work."

Don helped Charlie out of his hospital bed and let him go over to Alan. Don shook his head as he shut off the light and heard a slight whimper followed by his dad murmuring something to Charlie. He climbed into bed and soon, they all were asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Wow. My second update in one day.  
Let's just say that it is a weekend day and I was bored and wanted to type/write.  
Eh. And no, I have no idea how big this bed it. Must be a nice sized one :/

* * *

**

Dr. Ben Tirry was a short over weight man in his middle ages with a comb-over style of hair. He looked very different than Dr. Harry Roland. But, at 9 am they made their way together to Dr. Charles Eppes room.

"I think that Charlie is going through an ultradain cycling." Harry said, as they turned to corner into the hall where the room lay.

Ben nodded. "You know, he did come to me voluntarily, but he still didn't talk about much that would have helped him."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

Ben nodded. "Charlie would often talk about math. But I did see that he was depressed. That's why I gave him some antidepressants."

"Which said patient didn't take." Harry reminded Ben.

Harry was a head or two taller than Ben, and Harry would be the main person who looked after Charlie because, he was better at his job, even though Ben had known Charlie longer.

They came upon his door. "Wonder what mood said patient in right now." Harry joked at he opened the door.

They both stood still, in silence at the scene before them.

All three of the Eppes where in the same bed. Charlie was in the middle, with Don holding onto Charlie and Alan holding onto Charlie.

"Well. This is." Harry started, but didn't finish as he couldn't think of the word.

"Interesting." Ben finished. "Think we should wake them?"

Harry turned to Ben, "Of course not. Charlie is sleeping. Never wake someone with insomnia."

"You know it's rude to talk to people who are in the room."

They both turned to see Charlie with his eyes open.

"We just. Uh. Thought that." Harry started moving his mouth open and closed, but no words where coming.

"I was asleep?" Charlie smiled a bit, "They won't let me go."

Harry laughed. "I can see that. Would you like us to wake them up?"

Charlie shook his head no, "I don't want to wake them. It will bother them. It'd be trouble. I'd be trouble to them then."

"Alright. We shall wait here." Ben Tirry sat down on a chair.

Harry Roland went over to Charlie's bed and laid down. "Wanna talk, Charlie?"

Charlie thought about that. He felt safe right now. The monster wasn't out to get him. He would be free to talk. "I guess."

"Why didn't you take the medication I gave you?" Dr. Tirry said, loudly.

Dr. Roland glared at Tirry. "I wonder why." He said sarcastically.

Charlie could move his arms a bit and he put them up to his ears. "No fighting. No fighting." He was whispering it. "No fighting because of me."

Both of the doctors looked at Charlie. The two had never really gotten along. They had both gotten their learning at the same time, same school. The difference was, while Harry Roland was the best, Ben Tirry was more average and he always tried to make Harry look like a fool in front of others. They both had grudges against the other.

"Sorry, Charlie." Harry said, shrugging. "We aren't fighting because of you. We did come to talk to you though."

Charlie took his hands away, his eyes darting from man to man.

"Why aren't you in your bed?" Tirry asked, accusingly.

"I-I got scared."

Harry nodded and made notes. "Are you scared now?"

"No. I feel safe."

"You are safe, Charlie." Harry reassured the man who was about his age, "But, is there anything you want to tell us?"

Charlie thought about it, "I wanna go home."

"Well, I don't know abo-"

"Of course." Roland interrupted Tirry, "But you have to promise to take your medicine, eat, and sleep."

Charlie nodded. "I-I can do that."

"Course you can." Don said, smiling at Charlie.

"Donnie." Charlie said, smiling back.

"Alright. Charlie." Harry began. "Dr. Tirry and I are going to go and talk about all of this for a bit, but we will be back later today to tell you when you can go home. Alright?"

Charlie nodded. "Yes. Great." He was smiling.

Don looked at his brother. Charlie was in a better mood than before, but he still had sudden movements, and his eyes darted about quickly. This was still not his Charlie. Not his brother. This was still whatever replaced and tried to take Charlie away from him. He hated this Charlie. But Don knew how he had to be with this brother, in order to get his old one back.

Alan woke up when he heard the door close. "Huh?" He looked around, then he remembered what happened the previous night. "Oh. Morning Charlie, Donnie." He looked at both of the his sons. The night's rest seemed to do some wonders to them. Don was looking refreshed and Charlie was acting more normal. "What's going on?"

"Charlie might be able to go home with you today." Don said, smiling across his face.

Charlie turned on Don, "Y-You won't be there?"

Don's smiled disappeared, "I will be there as often as I can."

Charlie's mood was changing. He seemed as if he was doing better, but now he was going inside himself. Shutting himself away. He started breathing quicker, short breathes. He eyes weren't focusing.

"Buddy. Buddy." Don said, trying to calm his younger brother down.

"No. Don't call me that. You don't care. You never did." Before Don or Alan could grab him, Charlie got up and ran out of the room.

"Charlie!" Don quickly got up and followed him.

Alan stayed in the room. Charlie wasn't going to be able to do anything to himself or others in the hospital, and this was something the two needed to work out by themselves.

* * *

How could Don do this to Charlie? Charlie had finally felt safe, he could get better. And then Don had to go and say the wrong thing. Don was looking everywhere for Charlie. How much of a head start did Charlie get? Don didn't think it was that long. He had to find his brother and talk to him, calm him down. Don felt so stupid for hurting his brother.

"Don?"

Don stopped suddenly, turning to see Larry and Megan staring at him. Don was panting. He didn't want to stop. He had to keep searching for Charlie.

"What in the world are you doing, Donald?"

Don was resting, his hands on his hips, "Charlie. Ran. Got To. Find. Him." He said between breathes.

"We'll help you look." Megan said, as the three of them split up.

* * *

Megan was not finding him. How could you misplace a grown man? Sure, Charlie ran off, but he had to be around somewhere. She looked about and saw Dr. Flint drinking her coffee. Megan walked up to her. "Hello. I'm Megan Reeves, friend of Charlie Eppes."

"Oh, yes. I remember you. What can I do for you?"

Megan took a deep breath, "Have you seen Charlie?"

"I believe he is in his room, Ms. Reeves." Mina Flint said coldly.

"It seems that he is not there."

"What?!" Mina dropped her cup of coffee.

* * *

Don jogged up. He found Charlie. He had to have. "Hey, Charlie. Buddy?" He put a hand on the person, who turned around.

"Sorry. Not Charlie."

"Oh. I'm so sorry." Don said to the woman. He turned around, not knowing where to start looking.

"Who's Charlie?"

"Uh. My brother. And you both have the same hair." Don said, with an embarrassed smile.

She laughed. "I very much doubt that. Come, I'll help you look for him. I know my way around this hospital rather well."

"Huh? Thanks. How is that?"

"How do I know my way or how can we not have the same hair?" She inquired.

"Uh. Both." Don and the woman started walking along.

"While I'm sure that I've never met your brother, and therefore cannot say if we have similar hair at the moment. I can promise you that I can change that in a second."

Don raised and eyebrow.

She laughed and reached up to her Charlie-like hair. "I have cancer." It was a wig. "This morning I just put this wig on." She paused. "So, is Charlie lost?"

"I might have said the wrong thing to him and he ran off. Now I can't find him." Don replied.

She raised an eyebrow, "And how horrible was this thing that made him run away from you?"

"Not that bad. I just said that I wouldn't always be with him." He sighed. "And in hindsight that was a stupid thing to say."

"But it's true. You can't always be with him. No matter what." She shrugged. "To me it sounds like you did nothing wrong."

"Oh. I did. Trust me. He's having some troubles right now."

"And I know when to drop a subject." She smiled. "Now, if you Charlie where would you hide?"

Don thought about it. "Somewhere where I felt safe. Hey, is there anywhere in the hospital that has to do with math?"

That caught the woman off guard. "I-I don't know. He likes math?"

"He is uh. Actually a genius who teaches advanced math in collage."

The two of them turned a corner.

* * *

Larry didn't know where to begin looking for his friend. But he had to try. He just hoped he wouldn't get lost on his search. Which, chances where, he would. Larry shrugged it off. If getting lost helped find Charlie, that would be fine by him. To Larry, this felt like an alternate universe. Normally it would be Charlie looking for Larry because Larry had gotten lost.

Larry looked around, "Charles?" He started jogging up the young man.

Charlie was at the other end of the hall, on the floor in a corner, shaking. He wasn't safe in the open like this. He couldn't stop shaking. Charlie was scared of what his mind was doing to him. He wanted to be normal, or as normal as he ever was. He wished it would all go away and never come back. He heard his name and he jerked his head up to see Larry there.

Larry sat down next to Charlie. "Oh My. Charles. Are you alright?"

"Larry?" Charlie began slowly. "What kind of place would it have to be where no matter how fast I ran, I stayed in one spot while the monster chasing me was closing the gap between us?"

Larry looked at Charlie. He was thin, pale, and scared. "I-I don't know. I'd have to think about that."

So the two of them sat there, each in their own thoughts until Charlie heard a familiar voice.

"Donnie." He started fidgeting about. "No. No. No."

Larry looked at his friend and felt pity. "Charles. Stay here." Charlie had tried to get up, but Larry held him down easily. Charlie was very weak and exhausted while Larry knew how much pressure to push with.

Indeed, Don and the woman and turned the corner. At the end of the hall that they turned into, there was Charlie and Larry. Larry was having to hold Charlie in one place. Don's heart broke when he saw how scared Charlie was. Don ran up to Charlie. "Buddy. It's alright. I didn't mean what I said. Alright?"

Charlie stopped trying to move, he knew that he was trapped now. So, Larry let go of Charlie and turned around, "Oh!" He yelled as he saw the woman with Charlie's hair.

Charlie was rocking himself. He wanted to write something. He wanted math.

"Oh." The woman said, "Sorry to have scared you."

Don could see that Charlie wasn't going to go anywhere. "Larry, Charlie this is." He paused, "I don't know your name."

"Nancy." She smiled. "And I don't know your name, sir."

"Don."

Don turned to Larry, "You found him? Here?" Larry nodded, fascinated by Nancy's hair. "Why didn't you take Charlie back to his room."

Larry took a moment away from the hair, "I got lost."

"It's a wig." Nancy said to Larry.

"That right?" He reached out and stopped short, "May I?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I guess." She took off her wig and handed it to Larry. Then she turned to Don, "Are you sure that Charlie is the only one who is having uh. Problems?" She was indicating to Larry.

Don laughed a bit, "Yeah. He's just. Larry. Why don't you get to know him. I've got to talk with Charlie."

She nodded and started talking to Larry.

"Charlie." Don said, slowly, sitting down next to his younger brother. "I didn't mean what I said. Charlie? Are you listening?"

Charlie was not listening. He needed something. He just didn't know what. It felt as if a piece of his heart was gone. It was there earlier in the day, but now, it was gone. Why was it gone? Charlie jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Don. Don's mouth was moving. Why was he trying to talk to him? Probably because Don had a math problem he needed help with. That's all Don ever needed from him. Math. Charlie wanted something to immerse himself in. Math would work. He forced himself to listen.

"Charlie? Buddy? You with me now?" He could tell that he was getting to Charlie because his eyes where focusing on Don better. "Nod if you are with me." Don waited for a nod, then smiled when he got one, "I didn't mean what I said. I love you. I would never leave your side, if I could. But I can't always be there, alright? I will come over to you and Dad's as often as I can. Alright? Buddy? You understand?"

Charlie understood. He nodded again. "Yes."

Don smiled. It was a warm smile and then Charlie's heart felt whole again. "You gave me a scare when you ran off like that."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to trouble you." He was talking faster, "I didn't mean to trouble you. I didn't mean to. Really. Don't leave."

Don hugged Charlie, "Shh. It's alright. I know. I know you didn't. Want to go back to your room now?" Don could feel the nod on his shoulder, and he heard the whispered word: Yes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I'm getting addicted to writing this story. . 

* * *

**

They had gotten Charlie back to his room easily enough, and Nancy came with. Alan was glad to see everyone and to meet Nancy, but then Larry posed a question, "Where's Megan?"

Silence followed for a length.

"She must still be out looking for you, Buddy." Don said.

Charlie's eyes went wide in horror, "No. I'm causing trouble. I can't do that. I can ruin people's lives." He was talking faster, "I can't. I ruined mom's life. I ruined Amita's. I ruined-" He stopped as he felt a lot of hands on his shoulders. His eyes darted about and saw that they all, even Nancy, where watching him.

"Just calm down, Charles." Larry said, "You did not cause any trouble."

"And you did not ruin your mother's life." Alan said, tears threatening to spill. His son thought that he had ruined everyone's life, and that they were also just using him. That he nothing to them. How could he have let Charlie think those things. How could have let it get this bad.

"Hey, Charlie." Nancy said, "Why don't we all go and look for her?"

Charlie nodded slowly. "Yeah. Yeah. Then we can save her some trouble?" He was rocking just a bit on the balls of his heels.

"Yeah buddy. We can help her. Alright?" Don asked.

Charlie nodded.

"Someone should stay here incase she comes and sees if Charles is back." Larry stated, "And I think that I'll volunteer for that, I'd like to have some time to think about this problem Charlie asked me about."

"Charlie, you asked Larry a question?" Alan asked.

"I think I did. I-I don't remember."

Alan nodded. "Alright son." He smiled. "That okay with you?"

Charlie's eyes darted about the room, "Yeah. Yeah. Sure."

"Alright then, Let's go and find Megan."

* * *

Megan and Dr. Mina Flint had been everywhere in the hospital. "This doesn't make any sense. I know it is a big hospital, but we should have run into Charlie or someone else who was looking for him."

Mina nodded, "Yes, You are right. Shall we continue our search?"

Megan sighed, "We kinda have to."

* * *

Charlie kept getting distracted on their journey to Megan. He was in a rather happy mood, but everything would gain his attention, then he had lost all concentration on it and moved on.

Nancy hung back with Charlie while she let Don talk to Alan.

Nancy had only met Charlie but already she could tell that on a regular day, he was an extraordinary person, who had fantastic hair.

One of the things that kept getting Charlie's attention was Nancy's wig. Charlie found it fascinating at how much it looked like his own hair, without it being his.

"I-I could create an algorithm about this here wig. Or your original hair. Or your cancer." He whispered to her once when he went to touch the wig.

"Yes, Charlie. I'm sure you could." She smiled at him, but then her smile faded as she saw his wrists. They were still bandaged up. She may have cancer, but so far, she had never once thought about suicide. And this man who had almost everything he wanted did. She watched how his family and friends treated him, they cared for him, she could tell. But how much did they care for him? Apparently not enough because none of them had seen that Charlie was going to break.

* * *

Megan and Mina turned a corner and almost ran into four people.

"Charlie?" Megan asked as she saw him, she smiled. Charlie looked happy, or at least he seemed happy.

"Nancy?" Mina Flint asked.

"Megan we came to save you the trouble to looking for me, because I've been found and I didn't want to ruin your life by having you have to find me and-"

"Charlie." Megan's tone made Charlie's eyes dart toward her. "I wanted to look for you because I wanted to see you." She smiled. "Got that?"

Charlie nodded slowly.

"Hey, Nancy? You know Dr. Flint?" Don asked.

"Yes. She is one of my doctors. I take it she is Charlie's?"

"Yes. I am." Mina looked at her watch, "And you need to come with me, Nancy." She turned to the other four, "Glad you know where Charlie is. Don't lose him." And she strode off briskly with Nancy following behind.

Don looked at his watch now, "We'd better get back to the room, Dr. Roland and Dr. Tirry should show up soon to tell if we can take Charlie home."

* * *

Turns out, they had been waiting for fifteen minutes before the group got back.

"You had lost Charlie?!" Dr. Ben Tirry said as soon as they made it in the door.

"T-They found me." Charlie said, starting breath shallow again.

Megan started to rub his back, causing Charlie to relax.

"I wanna go home." Charlie said pathetically.

"I don't think we can do that. Dr. Eppes." Tirry said with malice, "Not yet anyway."

Charlie's eyes became unfocused, he started rocking himself.

"Charlie." Dr. Harry Roland said, walking up to him, "Charlie. Listen to me right now. We will talk about before a final decision. Alright?" Charlie nodded, he still seemed a little out of it. "Why don't we just have a seat and talk."

When everyone was situated in their seats, Charlie started as he blurted out, "It was a misunderstanding!"

Harry raised and eyebrow, "Was is, now?"

"Yes." Don said, getting into an FBI mode, "See, Charlie and I were talking and I said the wrong thing, causing him to take the statement the wrong way. He rushed off and I rushed after him."

Harry made some notes, "I hope you know that we will be starting Charlie on some medication today and that we don't know how it will effect him. Every patient is different and they all need different doses of the medicines. So, we just try until we get one that works well. So, if Charlie does go home, we do not know how he will act at first." Harry advised, "Would you still like to have Charlie come home before we get a stable medication that will help him?"

Alan looked at his son. He knew that Charlie did not want to be in the hospital. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see familiar objects and feel safe. Right away, Alan knew how to answer that question. "Yes. My son wants to go home, I say we let him."

"Now," Tirry began, "If it appears that you cannot handle Charlie in anyway, then I'm afraid we will have to commit him for a time."

For once, Dr. Roland didn't counter Dr. Tirry's statement.

Alan soaked that in. So, if he messed up once, Charlie would be taken away from him and given to strangers.

"But. either Dr. Tirry or I will be coming my daily for now to check on him." Dr. Roland added.

Alan nodded. "I understand."

"So, Charlie can go home?" Don asked them.

Dr. Tirry was not happy, his mouth set in a thin line. He did not want Charlie to go home yet. He thought that Charlie wasn't ready for it.

But Dr. Roland was smiling. Charlie had a family that would care for him, and at least try to keep him out of trouble. He knew that Charlie would probably do better at home, amongst what he knows. "Yes. But if anything should rise, you can call either me or Dr. Tirry." He smiled and handed Alan two business cards, one for each doctor. "I put my personal phone number as well as work and cell on the card for you, so that you can reach me anywhere, anytime."

"Thank you." Alan said, taking the cards.

"Someone will have to pick up Charlie's medication. I think he should have Valproate which treats his rapid-cycling, the common side-effects are dizziness, drowsiness, tremor and nausea. We can also try Carbamezapine which controls mania and depression, the side-effects are dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and rash. And last Lorazepam for insomnia and agitation." Harry wrote something down on a sheet of paper, "Here are the names of the three, and how many he should take. I'll call it into the pharmacy and you can pick them up on your way out. Alright?"

"Is Charlie going to have all of those side-effects?" Megan asked, watching her friend who didn't seem to really be paying any attention.

"No. Those are just common ones. They may or may not happen." Harry Roland said with a smile.

"Are we done here?" Don asked, he wanted to get Charlie home, so that he could get his real brother back sooner rather than later.

Dr. Roland chewed on his lip, "Yes. I think so." He paused, "Wait. One more thing. Is there a certain time that would be best for Charlie for Dr. Tirry or myself to come by daily?"

"Well," Alan started, "He did always go see Dr. Tirry at 8 pm, if that is a good time? Or should it be earlier?"

"Earlier is probably better Mr. Eppes." Tirry said monotone.

"How about 1 pm?" Harry suggested.

Alan thought about it, "Yeah. That would work. Alright." He smiled. "I will see one of you tomorrow around one?"

Harry nodded, "Yes. But I would like to come with you when you bring Charlie home, to get the feel of the house and to help you get Charlie settled in. Alright?"

Alan nodded back at Harry, "Yes. If it will help my son, then yes."

* * *

Charlie was tired, dizzy, and his stomach hurt. He wanted to be home already. He was in the car, back seat, laying down while Alan was driving and Dr. Roland was in shotgun. Don was in back with Charlie. Charlie's head was on Don's lap and Don was stroking his brothers hair. He could tell that Charlie was already feeling some of the side-effects that the medicines gave him. Charlie was still to thin for Don's liking and now Don could see pain in Charlie's eyes as the darted about. Charlie groaned, "Shh. Buddy. We're almost at the house. I can see it."

Charlie nodded, hearing his brother. "Yeah. Good. Good."

When they stopped Charlie thought that he would get sick on Don, but luckily he didn't. "Let's get you inside, Buddy." Don helped Charlie sit up in the car. Charlie swayed as he sat up. "You alright?"

"Dizzy." He murmured. Don nodded with a grim look on his face.

Don and Harry helped Charlie out of the car while Alan went to unlock the house, and soon, Charlie was in the living room on the couch with a trashcan beside him.

"I can already tell that I have to change the amount of medicine already." Harry said, looking down at Charlie who might have dozed off already, "But we will see how the rest of the day goes before I decide which ones to change." He looked around, "May I see Charlie's room and the garage?"

Alan nodded, "Yeah. I'll show you." He turned to Don, "Stay here with Charlie."

Don watched his brother on the couch. "Hey, buddy? You awake?"

"No. Leave me alone. Sleep now. Talk later." He groaned. "Forget Sleep."

"Forget sleep?" Don asked, his brother was not talking in full sentences. He wasn't used to that.

Charlie's hand started feeling around the couch while his eyes where closed, "Where can?"

Don had to think about that for a moment. Then he knew, "Oh. Oh!" He got up and put the trashcan in Charlie's hand. He helped Charlie sit up over it and held his hair back while he retched. "Feel better?"

"No."

"Just get some sleep then." Don started stroking Charlie's hair again, just like their mother did when they were sick and felt horrible. He needed Charlie to relax, sleep would help him.

The back door opened. "And there you go." Don could hear is dad say.

They came into the living room. "How is he?" Harry asked.

"He got sick and he's asleep now." Don answered.

Harry made another note, "Alright. Well, I should be going now. I'll see you tomorrow then?" He nodded and left.

* * *

Charlie felt groggy. He didn't want to open his eyes. He wanted to escape into another world. Maybe a world where he wasn't a genius and he was janitor instead. That'd be nice. Nothing would really be expected of him. He wouldn't have as much pressure and stress. He would be normal. Maybe even a janitor at CalSci. Yeah. A janitor at CalSci who liked math best. A man who took chances and was strong both mentally and physically. He would have a wife and kids by now too.

That's what Charlie wanted right now.

But he knew that would never happen. Maybe in one of Larry's alternate universes he is always talking about. That made Charlie smile, him a janitor. Sure. Like that would ever happen.

Don was about to head into the kitchen and leave Charlie sleep on the couch while he ate dinner with Alan, but when he looked down at Charlie, he saw a smile. "Charlie?"

A grunt came from his brother.

"You awake?" Don knelled down beside the couch.

Another grunt.

"Do you want to eat? It's dinner time?"

Don awaited a grunt, but instead he saw Charlie's brown eyes open suddenly. "Not hungry."

"But you should eat. You promised us you would. Other wise you will have to leave us go to a hospital."

Charlie thought about that. Did he say that he was going to eat? Would Don lie to him about that? Charlie didn't know. But before Charlie could say anything to Don, Don had grabbed Charlie and stood him up, thus causing Charlie to almost fall.

"We are going to eat. Dad will fix you some chicken broth or something." Don said, leading Charlie into the kitchen.

Alan turned around, ready to see only Don, and then he smiled as he saw that Charlie was up. "Charlie! Do you want to eat something?"

"Not real-"

"Yes he does." Don interrupted Charlie.

Alan smiled. "I'll make you some soup." He turned and started humming.

Charlie closed his eyes and started to fall back off the chair, but Don caught him. "Hey, Buddy. You going to stay awake for us?"

Charlie looked to see Alan staring at him and Don standing over him. "I-I'll try." He answered, yawning.

"Charlie, son. If you want you can eat later and go back to sleep."

Charlie shook his head, "No. I'll stay awake."

Alan nodded and went back to making soup.

Don turned to Charlie. He could tell that the medicine was working already. Charlie still would rock himself some and his eyes didn't stay in one place, but he was there more. He was paying attention and understanding. "Charlie."

Charlie's head jerked toward Don. "Donnie?"

"When you woke up, I saw you smiling. What where you thinking about?"

"N-Nothing, really." He was getting nervous, Don could tell.

Don knew that was one of the reasons why Charlie was in this position in the first place, he kept secrets from them. "Charlie." He said in his official FBI voice. "How about we make a deal?"

"A-A deal?" Charlie stammered.

Don nodded. "You stop keeping all of these secrets alright?"

"Secrets?" Charlie said quietly.

Don nodded, "Yes. You don't tell us anything. How about from now on, you tell us how you feel, and answer questions truthfully? Will that be alright?"

"I can try that." Charlie nodded. "And you?"

"What?"

"It's a deal. What are you going to do?"

Don hadn't thought about that. Maybe he had used the wrong word. Maybe he should have said "promise" instead. "I. Uh. I will think about your feelings more and not demand so much from you." Don thought that was a good thing he could say.

But it wasn't. Charlie got hot from anger. "I can take care of myself! I don't need you to not demand so much! I know when to tell you "No" Don! I know when I can and cannot help you!" Charlie got up from the chair and stormed out of the kitchen.

Don stared at the empty chair.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I want you all to remember these two words: Fan Fiction.

* * *

**

Don had finally felt like he was getting his brother back. But then he had to say the wrong thing. Don wasn't even for sure what he said that caused Charlie to snap like that. Don had to look up what Bipolar was so that he could better understand what Charlie was going through.

_Bipolar disorder (bi·po·lar dis·or·der) (n.) psychiatric disorder with extreme mood swings: a psychiatric disorder characterized by extreme mood swings, ranging between episodes of acute euphoria (mania) and severe depression. Also called manic-depressive disorder _

Well, the explained why Charlie had suddenly gotten mad at him. But, didn't one of his medications control the mood swings that were called rapid-cycling? Don got up and looked at the paper Dr. Roland gave them. Yeah, Valproate treats the cycling. Maybe it takes awhile to work?

All Don knew was that he wanted his brother back, even if it was this new Charlie. He needed Charlie to trust him. He had to make this right. Don knew that Charlie was only in the living room, so he walked right in, and saw Charlie had gotten sick again. But this time he didn't get to the trash can. Don stared down at Charlie.

Charlie was in a corner of the room, rocking himself, crying. He didn't mean to make a mess, it was an accident. Those pills they made him take made him do it. He didn't mean to. He heard the door open and his eyes darted to Don. Oh. Not him. Not Don. Don would never forgive him for doing that. Don would hate him forever. "I didn't mean to. I didn't. Really." He was talking frantically.

Don's heart broke. He walked slowly over to Charlie, "Hey Buddy. It's alright. Really. Don't worry about it. It's not your fault." He looked at Charlie, then at the mess. "How about we go and get you cleaned up and Dad can clean that up. Alright?"

Charlie nodded. He let Don help him up and they walked back into the kitchen.

"Dad. Charlie got sick in the living room. How about you clean that up, while I clean him up." Don said, leading Charlie to the bathroom.

Alan nodded grimly. "Sounds good to me."

Don got Charlie to the bathroom fine, but Charlie was not fine. "I'm causing trouble. If I weren't here then there would be no trouble."

"Charlie. How many times do I have to tell you? You are not trouble." Don looked at his younger brother. Charlie had some tears coming down his face, "Oh. Charlie. It's alright."

* * *

It didn't take long for Dr. Roland and Dr. Tirry to get the correct amount of medication for Charlie and soon he was acting more normal, with fewer instantiates where he would start to freak out. Charlie still had insomnia and they often had to coax him into eating, but most of the side-effects where not showing up. Some days he would drowsy, and he did get dizzy easy, but other than that, he was often fine.

What made Charlie really happy was that they let him on his lab top for at most three hours a day and he could work on math for at most three hours a day. He still couldn't concentrate on things some days, and on those days he was usually worse.

Alan was glad to see that Charlie was getting better, and he was talking more. He talked to his doctors and to both Alan and Don. He didn't keep any secrets, as far as Alan knew, and over all, Charlie just looked healthier.

Don was going to work again, and he would stop by at lunch and after work. He was proud of Charlie for doing so well. Some days Charlie would be deep in his thoughts and Don would often get worried because before all of this, that's what Charlie was like, and other times he was like how he used to be. Charlie still did have some trouble coping, but he was doing extremely well.

Charlie's wrists where healing very well, and now he didn't have to bandage them up, but he often wore long sleeves so that they weren't so noticeable. They were still red and healing, but it didn't bother Charlie that much.

* * *

Amita was happy. She was going to do a guest lecture at CalSci and be in California for a week. She had been in contact with both Charlie and Larry last month and they had made plans to go and have a lunch together. Within this past month she hadn't heard from Charlie, but he would do that sometimes because he was working on a case with Don and he didn't have any time to call or email her. But she had been talking to Larry some. She made her way to Charlie's office and her heart sank when she tried to go in, and the door was locked. That was strange, Charlie hardly ever locked his office door. Maybe something had happened on one of the cases with Don and now he learned that it was smart to lock his office door. She shrugged. He was probably with Larry doing some strange experiment. So, she made her way to Larry's office.

"Larry?"

"A-Amita!" Larry jumped when she opened the door, he had been grading papers and he got very involved in it. "Is it that day already?" He looked at his calendar.

She smiled, same old Larry. "Yes, Larry. It's that day already." She looked around the office, "Where is Charlie?"

Larry's face when expressionless. "Yes. You don't know about how the black hole seemed to appear in Charlie."

Amita had no idea what Larry had just said, "Riiight. Yeah. So, Where is he?"

"At his house of course." Larry said.

Amita eyed Larry "Did something happen to him?"

Larry chewed on his lip, "Well. I. Uh." He didn't know if he should be the one to tell her or not.

Amita took Larry's lack of words as a yes. She turned and walked out of the office. She was going to Charlie's. Charlie was hurt. She didn't know how or why, but she just knew.

Larry stood in his office for a moment, processing what happened. "Oh My." He said, as he ran out of his office, "Amita! Amita! No!" He chased after her.

Amita waited for Larry by her car. "What is it Larry?"

"You can't go there!"

"Why not?" She was getting angry at Larry.

"Because. Uh. Well." She sighed and got in the car. Larry quickly got in the passenger seat. "No. You shouldn't do this. It might disrupt the whole time space continuum!"  
Amita just started driving to Charlie's house. She made up her mind to see Charlie and make sure that he was alright.

* * *

Amita stood outside of Charlie's house and rang the door bell, soon Larry rushed up beside her.

"Amita. This is a bad idea."

Alan answered the door and gaped. "A-Amita? What are you doing here?"

"Charlie didn't tell you?" She asked, as she walked in the house, "We had made arrangements about a month ago that when I came here we would have a lunch together."

Alan turned on Larry, "You knew about this?"

"I. Uh. Yeah. I did. I forgot about it." Larry answered lamely.

"Where is Charlie?" Amita said, looking around the living room and not seeing him.

"He's in the kitchen, eating." Alan replied, but when Amita started walking to the kitchen he added, "But don't bother him, he's actually eating."

Amita wanted to see Charlie. Who cares if he was eating? She stormed in the kitchen and found Charlie eating a sandwich.

"A-Amita?" He said, slowly, eyes widening.

"Charlie." She said, taking a seat beside him. "Why are you at home?" She didn't see anything wrong with him, he was a little thin, but that was all she could see.

Charlie's mind was racing. He had forgotten that Amita was coming. How could he forget? He was an idiot for forgetting about her. He wanted to hit himself for doing that. He realized that Amita wanted an answer. He had to be cool. Act normal. She could never find out about what happened. "I didn't feel well this morning and I took the day off." He hoped that it sounded like how he usually sounded.

Alan and Larry where watching. "He's a good liar." Larry pointed out.

Alan nodded, "Yes. I know."

"You look fine." Amita said.

"I feel fine now." Charlie replied. He looked at her, "You look great though. How has Harvard been?"

She smiled. Charlie was fine. She had gotten worried over nothing. "It's been great. And It's great seeing you again."

Charlie nodded and smiled. To him, his smile felt hallow. But he had to try and keep this a secret from her. "Oh. Uh. Would you like me to fix you a sandwich?"

"Oh. Dr. Charles Eppes fixes sandwiches now?" She laughed. "Yes. I'd love one."

"Alright." He said. This wasn't so hard. And he wouldn't have to endure it much longer. As long as she was gone by 1, he'd be fine. He got up and set out to make the sandwich. He got everything he needed then put them on the table, getting the bread he started to make it. But he stopped when he heard a gasp.

Amita saw one of Charlie's wrists. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt, but his one of his sleeves fell back. "Charlie. What happened?" She grabbed his arm. She looked at Charlie and saw fear in his eyes.

But Charlie quickly covered up the fear, "Oh. It's noting. It happened a crime scene not that long ago. Got to close and my wrist got cut. It was a clean cut so it was fixed easily."

Amita wasn't sure if she should believe him. He seemed detached about that. "Oh. Okay." She let go of his arm. She told her self that he didn't lie to her, it was a plausible explanation.

Charlie finished and sandwich and gave it to her. He smiled. "You believe me, don't you?"

Oh. He knew that if he said that, she would believe him. Because why else would he ask her that?

Amita thought, watching Charlie closely. He had been acting a little different, but maybe he just changed a bit since she last seen him. She nodded. "Of course I believe you Charlie." She put her hand on his other wrist and he flinched. Her eyes narrowed. "Charlie." She said dangerously cool.

Charlie jumped back and held his arm to him. "You just shocked me. Static shock and all." His eyes where darting about. This was not good. He had to keep himself under control.

Amita didn't believe him. She grabbed his arm and pulled his other sleeve back. Both wrists had been cut. Her stomach dropped. The chances that a person got both wrists cut the same way at a crime scene was not many. She knew. "Charlie." She said with pity in her voice.

Charlie leaned his back against the wall and slide down it, until he was sitting on the floor. "Oh God. No. You can't know. You can't. If you know then. Then." He couldn't think of the word. He felt his breathing shortening.

Alan and Larry rushed to Charlie's side.

Amita just stood there and glared at him. "You lied to me." She turned and ran out of the kitchen. On her way out the door she bumped into Don.

"Amita?" Don helped her up. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to see Charlie." Her voice sent shivers down Don's spine. "And when I asked him about it, he didn't even tell me the truth."

Don held onto Amita. "You need to talk with him."

"But he lied to me."

Don nodded. "Yeah. He lied to us too. Made us think that he was alright. Made us think that he was sleeping and eating. Made us think that he didn't have too much pressure. He didn't even tell us that he had been seeing a therapist. He made up excuses. We all believed him until my dad and I found him in the garage bleeding with glass everywhere." Amita's eyes teared up, "He didn't talk to us. He didn't tell us how he felt. He didn't tell us that he felt like he was nothing and that we used him like a tool, not caring about him." Don looked Amita in the eyes. "You need to talk with him."

Don walked Amita back into the kitchen.

Alan was rubbing circles on Charlie's back and Larry was helping him breath correctly.

But when Charlie heard the door open, he looked up and saw Amita. She was back. She was going to tell him how much she hated him. How little he really meant to her. He knew that he was nothing in her eyes. He was nothing. He closed his eyes tight. He didn't want to hear her words telling him that. He knew it already. He moved his hands up to his ears and started rocking himself. Why did she have to come? He was feeling better. He was doing better. But now, now he was falling and no one could catch him. She was going to ridicule him and tell him how she had never liked him for anything more than his math. Math was all he was. No one knew anything else about him. Maybe if he showed her he could still do math, then she might not tell him. "P vs. NP." Charlie started.

Don's body went as cold as ice when he heard Charlie say that. Don hated that. Charlie was going into math. P vs. NP no less. He'd never get Charlie back unless he was stopped now. But before Don could reach his brother who needed his help, Amita was beside him.

"Charlie." She said softly, tears going down her face. How could she have ever thought about leaving him in this state. It was her fault that Charlie went into himself, if she hadn't shown up he would have finished eating and then. Well, she didn't know. But she was sure that Charlie would not have done this.

Charlie stopped chanting the math equation when he heard Amita's voice. It had worked. She wasn't mad at him anymore. He was still rocking, but he put his hands on his knees and opened his eyes, daring to look at her. She was crying. Oh God. He was making her cry. No. He didn't want her to cry. He wanted her to be happy. He started taking shallow breathes again.

"Charlie." She said again, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Charlie. Please stop that."

"I-I can't." His voice cracked.

"Charlie. I know you can. You are strong. You can stop that on your own. Please. I want to talk."

Oh. She wanted to talk. She was mad at him or something. Why else would she want to talk with him? Talking probably meant yelling. Anyway, he wasn't strong. If he was strong, then he wouldn't have been in this predicament. "Not strong." He was talking fast, "Weak. Pitiful. Horrible. Stupid."

Amita's heart broke. How could Charlie think those things? "Charlie. You are not stupid. I've never met someone as smart as you. And you are strong. You can calm yourself down, Charlie. I believe in you."

Amita believes in him? Charlie almost couldn't understand it. He didn't even believe in himself. But if she thought he was smart and strong. Then he must be, right? Charlie's breathing started to go back to normal and he wasn't rocking as much.

"Good Charlie." Amita smiled. "Just calm down."

Pretty soon he was breathing normal and he was rocking anymore. He looked up, "A-Amita?"

She smiled with tears in her eyes. She hugged him. "I knew you could do it." She whispered in his ear.

Everyone stepped back away from Charlie and he got up. "Why don't we all go into the living room?" Alan suggested, "It's almost 1."

Charlie's eyes grew large. "A-Already?"

Don nodded. "Yeah. Buddy." He wrapped his arm about Charlie's shoulders. "Lets go on into the living room and talk."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I'd like to warn you all that Charlie is going to get worse before he gets better.

* * *

**

"What happens at one?" Amita asked, sitting the couch next to Charlie.

"My therapist comes by." Charlie nodded, he was still shaken up, but he was acting more normal. What Amita had seen scared her. She never once thought that she would see Charlie like that.

"Amita." Alan began, "Where are you staying while you are here in town?"

"Oh. It's a hotel not that far away." She smiled.

"Nonsense. You will stay here with Charlie and me. You can sleep in the guest room?"

Don smiled, "Also known as my old room."

"Thank you Mr. Eppes. That would be wonderful."

"Really, call me Alan." He smiled as the door bell rang. Alan turned to Charlie. "You going to get that?"

Charlie blinked, "M-Me?" Alan nodded at him. Charlie looked around as he heard the door bell ring again, everyone was watching him. He couldn't back out of it. He closed his eyes and sighed, getting up.

Charlie knew that either Dr. Tirry or Dr. Roland would be at the door. It was one o'clock, but Charlie's imagination was having a field day. What if it was someone who was going to take him away because he broke down in the kitchen when Amita found out? What if it was someone coming after him because he had helped solve a case that put someone in jail and they were going to take revenge on him?

Charlie slowly opened the door and let out his breath when he saw Dr. Harry Roland there. Harry smiled, "Ah, Charlie!" He walked, "I don't think you've ever answered the door when I've came." He walked in and saw all the people, "Wow. Hey, Chuck. I think you're popular."

"Don't call me Chuck."

Harry laughed, "Did you know that the first time I met you, you told me to call you Chuck?"

"I-I did?" Charlie swallowed.

Harry nodded, "Course you where on morphine then, and I also had to say hello to a windmill and some silly putty. Blue I believe. I'm pretty sure you called them Toby and Flynn."

"I-I what?" Charlie was blushing a bit, he knew it.

Harry clapped his hand over Charlie shoulder, "Don't worry about it. Just introduce me to the lady there and we will be fine. Unless she is here for you." He winked at Charlie.

Charlie rolled his eyes. Dr. Roland was usually very nice and happy like this. It put Charlie as ease, when he was with Dr. Tirry he was more jumpy and paranoid. He lead Harry to the others, "A-Amita?" He asked timidly. He didn't want to interrupt her or anything that would bother her. He didn't want to be trouble.

"Yes, Charlie?" She smiled at him.

"This is Dr. Roland. Dr. Roland this is Amita."

The two of them shook hands. "Amita? Yes. I think Charlie has talked about you."

"He has?" Amita raised a polite eyebrow. Charlie had talked about her to his therapist? What did he say?

Charlie stepped between them, "A-Alright. Let's j-just n-not talk a-about th-this." He stuttered.

Harry held up his hands in defense, "Alright. That's fine Charlie. Shall we go into the garage today?"

Charlie nodded, nervously itching his head, "Yeah. That'd work today."

Amita watched them both leave, she turned to the three left in the living room, "So, do they always talk in private?"

"No." Alan said, "Some days we sit and talk with him. We never know when it will all of us or just him and the doctor.

Amita nodded. "So, what do we do when they're busy?"

"Whatever we want." Don said with a shrug. "We just stay out of whatever room they are in."

"So garage is off-limits?" Amita asked. "For how long?"

"It changes a lot. Sometimes is less than an hour," Alan started, "And one time it was right before dinner and Dr. Roland ate with us."

* * *

"You need to talk to her."

Charlie had been pacing in front of Dr. Roland who was laying down on the couch. "W-What? W-Why?"

"We have talked about her before. And she was a kinda key role to why you threw yourself at your math and didn't eat or sleep. She was part of your downfall."

"I-I can't tell her that." Charlie said, sitting down on the floor.

"Why not?"

"It'd hurt her too much. She can't ever know." Charlie was talking quietly.

Harry turned his head to Charlie, "You don't tell her, I will."

Charlie head bolted in the direction of Harry. "You wouldn't. You can't."

He shrugged, "So, what's she doing here? I thought she worked at Harvard."

Charlie nodded, "She does. She's here giving guest lectures. We were going to meet for lunch."

Harry nodded, "Ah yes. And she didn't know, did she?"

Charlie shook his head and sort of cradled himself, "Nope. She saw though. She could see right through me."

"And how did you handle it?"

Charlie thought about it, "Not well."

"Elaborate."

"I-I got worked up when she found out and she got me calmed down again." Charlie answered, laying down on the floor.

Harry brought himself up on his elbows and watched his patient. He licked his dry lips, "How severe was it this time?"

"I got pretty bad, but I'm better now. " Charlie closed his eyes. "I think the medicine I had with my lunch made me drowsy today." He yawned.

Harry watched Charlie, "So, you ate like you should?"

"She interrupted the," yawn, "sandwich eating."

"Any other side-effects showing up today?" Harry asked as he got up to look for a blanket. He thought he saw Charlie's head shake but he wasn't for sure because when he found a blanket, Charlie was asleep. He rolled his eyes and put the blanket over Charlie. He walked out the garage and into the house. "Hello again, everyone." He said as he stepped into the living room.

"Where's Charlie?" Amita asked, studying the doctor.

"He dozed off." Harry said, "Floor in the garage. I put a blanket over him."

"Charles fell asleep when you were talking to him?" Larry asked, concerned.

Harry nodded grimly. "He claimed it to be a side-effect of one of the medications. And it very well could be."

"But?" Don asked, getting worried.

"He said that when you found out," Dr. Roland pointed to Amita, "He started, uh. Freaking out." He turned to the others, "And no, that's not his exact words."

Amita nodded, "He did. I got him to calm down. Why?" She was confused.

"He also said it was a pretty bad one." Harry continued.

Alan nodded, "Yes. I haven't seen him act like that in a while. He was acting like that more when he was still in the hospital and when he first came home." He stood up beside Dr. Roland, "What are you saying?"

"I'm afraid he may have a relapse. Take good care of him. I'd have someone in the garage for when he woke up." He turned a bit, "I will be going now. See ya later." He waved and left.

* * *

Don had taken the rest of the day off. He called in after Dr. Roland said the word, "relapse". Don was currently waiting for his brother to wake up. He had taken up residence on the couch in front of Charlie.

Alan had decided that he would wait in the garage for Charlie to wake up. But when he opened the door and saw that the doctor had just grabbed a blanket from the boxes, and the blanket was one that his wife had given Charlie when he was younger, Alan suddenly had to be somewhere else. So, Don took over.

He didn't want to believe that Charlie was having a relapse. Charlie was only sleeping as a side-effect, not because he was depressed. Right? Had Charlie been sleeping more lately? Don thought about it and decided that he had been. Charlie was often in bed around 9. Wasn't it good that Charlie was finally sleeping? Don shook his head, apparently if a person suddenly starts sleeping all the time it might mean that they are depressed. Charlie had been doing so well. He couldn't be depressed again. Charlie would have told Don. Right? Don quickly looked down at Charlie when he heard a groan. "Buddy?"

"Donnie?" Charlie asked, he didn't want to open his eyes. And his left arm hurt. And his neck. Where was he?

"Wake up, Buddy." Don was smiling a bit, for when Charlie opened his eyes. "You took a nice long nap, but now you need to get up. It's almost dinner time."

Charlie was groggy. What had happened? He groaned again when he tried to sit up.

"Open your eyes."

Charlie did as he was told. Oh. It was the garage. Now Charlie remembered falling asleep on the floor. "I think I slept on my arm and neck wrong." He said miserably.

Don laughed, "Yeah. Sleeping on the floor can do that to you. Here, let me help you up." He grabbed his younger brother and pulled him up.

Charlie swayed. He wasn't fully awake yet. "Do we still have some of my pain medicine from before?"

"Just for a stiff arm and neck?" Don asked. He looked at Charlie. He did look like he was in pain. "We'll ask dad, kay?"

Charlie nodded and let Don lead him inside the house.

"Look who's awake." Alan said as he got out another plate.

Don sat Charlie down at his chair, and Amita sat down next to Charlie. "Dad?" Everyone could hear the pain in his voice, "Do we still have pain relievers from before?"

"Why?" Alan was apprehensive.

"Well, he was sleeping on the floor," Don was answering for him, "And apparently he slept on his arm and neck wrong."

Alan wasn't for sure if he should give some to his son. Charlie could want them for many reasons if he was having a relapse. But what if he wasn't? What if Charlie really was in pain? Alan shot a look at Charlie who had his eyes closed and was moaning slightly. He did seem to be in pain. "Yeah. I think we still have some. I'll go and get them."

Amita watched Charlie closely. He seemed to be swaying. "Charlie?"

He turned and opened his eyes slightly at her.

"How are you feeling?" He started rubbing circles on his back.

"Groggy. Dizzy. Tired. Hurting." He said, waiting for his dad to come back.

Don sat down on the other side of Charlie. "You alright? You didn't like, sleep wrong and pinch a nerve or something did you?"

Charlie turned to Don and gave him the same slanting eyes at him, but with a glare. "No, Don. I did not." He said deadly cool.

Alan came back with a glass of water and some pills. "Here, Charlie."

Charlie greedily took the pills and drank all the water. The water helped him a lot. He hadn't realized how dry his mouth was. A plate of food appeared in front of him. The smell hit his nose. Oh God. No. He quickly ran into the bathroom and retched. So much for the pills. He came out of the bathroom to see them all staring at him.

"Charlie." Alan said, "Something you wanna tell us?"

"I don't feel well." He moaned back as he walked toward his chair. When he sat down Amita felt his forehead.

"He has a temperature." She said, worried.

"Apparently sleeping on the floor of the garage for an afternoon is not so good for me." Charlie said with a slight smile.

Alan sighed, "Want me to make you some soup?" He didn't even wait for Charlie to answer, "I'll make you some soup."

"Or I could just go to bed." Charlie offered, getting up from his chair..

"No." Don said, grabbing Charlie's arm and pulling him down to the seat, "You didn't finish your lunch today. You need to eat something. Because I know you didn't eat all of your breakfast."

Charlie sighed as the plate was taken away and a bowl took it's place.

They had made sure that he ate all of his soup.

* * *

Amita turned off all the lights when she went upstairs. Charlie went up to his room a little bit after dinner and Don left around 9. Alan was falling asleep in his chair, so Amita made him go to bed before she did. He didn't want to because he felt as if he was being a bad host. She smiled and told him that she understood and would probably go to sleep soon. So, now she was shutting off all the lights in the house as she made her way upstairs. Did she leave a light on? No. That light was coming from upstairs. Charlie's room. He was awake. Amita shrugged. She'd better go and check on him. See if he still had a fever and how he felt. The door was slightly ajar and she knocked, "Charlie?" She didn't get an answer, so she went on inside.

* * *

Charlie understood Don better now. He understood why Don liked them so much. He never knew before. But now he felt stronger holding onto it. It's cold body contrasted with his fever hot one. He liked how shiny it was. This time there would be no coming back. He would be gone this time. Maybe he'd be with his mom. He was never nothing to his mom, she had always loved and cared for him. She would have never used him. "I'm coming, Mom." He murmured to himself. Before he never really knew why Don had given it too him. Don had claimed it was because Charlie needed it for self defense in case anyone came after him when Don wasn't there. But Charlie knew now. Don had given it to him so that he could be out of Don's life forever. It's what Don really wanted.

Charlie didn't hear Amita say his name as he brought it to his mouth. Great. His mouth was too small, it didn't fit.

Charlie didn't hear Amita opening the door as he brought it up to his temple. It fit nicely there.

But for some reason, it disappeared from his hands. Charlie hadn't realized it, but he was crying. He had been for quite some time now. But someone was wiping his tears away. Amita. And she was taking his tears. She had his tears.

Amita had opened the door and what she saw frightened her. Charlie had been sitting on his bed, cross legged and with a gun moving from his mouth to his temple. He was smiling. He was also crying. She had to stop him. Amita ran up to him and grabbed the gun. Where did he get the gun? She dropped the gun to the floor and started drying Charlie's tears. She was crying herself. If she hadn't gone to bed then, Charlie would be dead. And she would have never seen him again.

Charlie was still crying. He started shaking. He was hot, he was in pain, and he couldn't end it. He wanted peace. He wanted his mind to stop working. He wanted all the pain and suffering to end. But it never ended. He felt arms around him.

Amita was rocking him. "Charlie. You are special. You need to live. Do you hear me?" She kept whispering to him.

Charlie was losing a battle. He hated losing. He wanted it to end. Charlie heard a voice murmuring in his ear. He started listening to it. It was telling him how great he was, and how he should live and treasure his life. He stopped shaking and just cried. He couldn't stop. Why couldn't he stop crying?

Amita's heart collapsed when she heard Charlie's guttural sobs. She had to calm him down and make him stop crying before he made himself sick. "Charlie." She murmured, "It's alright. You can stop crying now."

Charlie didn't want to stop. If he stopped then he would have to face the consequences for losing and living. "Amita!" He said quickly.

She hadn't been ready for him to talk so suddenly. "Charlie?" She said soothingly.

"You can't tell anyone."

"What? I have to. Charlie. You almost shot yourself in the head." She couldn't believe she said that. "Where did you get the gun?"

"Don gave it to me awhile ago." He said, as his crying became less. "To p-protect m-myself in case I g-got attacked at h-home."

She was drying the last of his tears. "I need to tell someone about this, Charlie. Or you do."

"No." He shook his head as he let go of her, "No. No. No." He was talking rather fast, "We can't."

She started rubbing circles on his back, "Shh. Charlie. Calm down. Why can't we? Tell me?"

"I-If I-I don't get b-better then I-I'll get comm-committed to an Insti-Institution. I wanna stay at h-home."

Amita didn't want him committed anymore than he wanted it. "Promise you will never do this again?"

"P-Promise." He smiled weakly at her.

She sighed, Charlie knew how to push her buttons. He knew what to say to get her to give in. She knew that she shouldn't have given in, it was wrong of her. Giving in to Charlie could mean Charlie getting worse, he wouldn't heal those scars marked on his soul if she gave in to him. But she did, she agreed. "Alright. It will be our secret. But I'm taking the gun with me. And you need to sleep." She tucked Charlie in bed and left the room. She had to leave. She hated seeing Charlie like that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: w00t. I finally got my first flame. I'm rather glad I got it. And now I'm sure that you all think I'm crazy about getting a flame. Well, I've been waiting for one for quite awhile. And I finally got it! It was about last chapter. But I also got an awesome review about last chapter and they talked about how they loved it! XD So, while one doesn't like last chapter, the other loves it. I find that amusing.

* * *

**

Amita woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast. She yawned and smiled. But the smiled disappeared quickly as she saw the gun on the nightstand. The memories of the night before filled her mind. She wouldn't tell anyone about what she saw. She wanted to forget about it. Amita got dressed and headed down the stairs to see Alan and Charlie already at the table.

"Amita!" Alan smiled as he got up, "Let me get you a plate of food."

She sat down where she had sat the night before during dinner. "Thank you, Alan." She smiled and looked at Charlie, "How did you sleep?" Amita watched Charlie. He looked like last night never happened. It made her wonder if he had held that gun up to his head every night but never pulled the trigger.

"Much better at a nights rest." He smiled, eyes empty of all emotion, "Fever gone and after sleeping in a bed by neck and arm doesn't hurt."

Alan sat the plate in front of Amita. He knew that something was bothering her. He just didn't know what. "Amita? Is something wrong?"

Amita took a deep intake of breath. Alan knew. Okay, maybe he didn't really know, but he knew that something was up. "No, Alan. Nothing." She smiled.

"Oh. Okay." Alan didn't believe her. He could tell when people had something bothering them. Unless they were Charlie apparently. Otherwise he would have noticed Charlie getting worse before it all happened. Alan shot a gaze at Charlie. He was staring down at his food, he had maybe two bites of it, and he was deep in thought. "Charlie?"

Charlie's head jerked up, "Dad?" He tried to keep his voice even.

"You need to eat." Alan set to work on eating his own food as he watched Charlie pick up his fork and start eating. Alan shook his head, something was going on. He'd talk to Don about it during lunch. He looked at the clock and got up.

Amita watched him get up and walk over to the counter. She wondered what he was doing.

Charlie didn't wonder. He knew. When Alan came over and put some pills in Charlie's hand, Charlie knew what to do. He swallowed him.

Amita watched as Alan patted Charlie on the back, smiling down at him and murmuring, "Good boy." She watched Charlie sighed and go back to eating. She hadn't realized that she was staring.

But Charlie had noticed. He sighed inwardly. He didn't want her to see all of this about him. He didn't want her to see last night, when he had a weak moment. He didn't want her to see his wrists. He didn't want her to see how Alan had to give him his pills. He didn't want her to see him like this at all.

Alan broke the silence, "I have to go to the grocery store today. Amita, if you have nothing to do, could you watch Charlie while I'm away?"

Amita didn't want to be left to watch Charlie. After last night he scared her. "No, sorry Alan. I have a lecture I have to give in about a half hour. It will take all day."

Charlie knew. He knew that she didn't want to watch him. He knew that Alan didn't want to take him shopping with him because he was a burden. He didn't even want to have to be watched.

Alan nodded and smiled, "Alright. That's fine. We will probably leave about the same time too."

So, the plans where made. And Amita left to go give a lecture then go somewhere else, so that she wouldn't get stuck watching Charlie. She felt horrible for not wanting to watch and spend time with him, but he scared her.

Charlie was quiet. That bothered Alan a lot. He was quieter than usual. He sighed. Maybe his son _was _having a relapse. They were in the produce aisle and instead of using the calculator that came on the grocery cart, he just told the numbers to Charlie. "2 Dollars." He said smiling at Charlie.

Charlie didn't mind following his dad around, being a personal calculator. He always did it as a kid when he went shopping with his parents. "Alright. We are now up to 48.95 without tax." Charlie murmured back, sighing.

"Dr. Eppes?"

Charlie turned to see a student of his. "Ellen Booth?" He asked, smiling.

"Hey." Ellen didn't know why she walked up and called out his name. Everyone on campus knew. They all knew that he went crazy. She didn't know what to say, she had to say something. So she told the truth. "Dr. Eppes, I just wanted to say that I miss you teaching us. I get confused on a lot of things with the new professor. And I hope you get better so that you can come back." She smiled slightly and quickly turned and left before her teacher could talk back.

Charlie blinked at were Ellen had been standing. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Alan raised an eyebrow at Charlie as he jumped. He took his hand off, "Charlie. You alright?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, dad. That was a student of mine."

Alan nodded, "I heard. And I must say that if I where in her place, I would agree."

"Huh?" Charlie blinked at his dad.

"I'd miss you teaching me too, you always explain the math so well." He smiled, "Most the time anyway."

Charlie rolled his eyes at his dad, "Let's just get done shopping already. It's almost lunch time."

* * *

The next day went by without incident. Amita once again, left early and came back late.

Alan wondered why, and Charlie knew.

Amita herself was wanting to deny it all. She had nightmares the night before about what would have happened if she would have waited five minutes longer before going upstairs to sleep.

_Amita would jump when she heard the gun. She would run upstairs to find Alan already crying over a bloody body. She would walk in and get sick. She would stare at the brains on the wall. She would look at the body of her friend and see his empty eyes with a smile on his face. The smile would be stuck there. His brains coming out of the back of his head. The brains that made him known. They would be sliding down the wall._

Thinking about the dream made shivers go down her spin. She had to tell someone. Maybe not the whole story or maybe not now. But she had to tell someone.

It was night and once again, Charlie and Alan where both in bed. Amita walked up to her room slowly and started crying into her pillow.

Charlie sat in his room, awake with the lights off. He couldn't get to sleep. He listened as Amita went upstairs. He heard her crying. She was crying because of him. He turned over in his bed and got up. He turned on his lamp that sat on the desk beside his bed. He was walking as quietly as he could. But Amita's door came open when he was still in the hallway.

"Charlie?" She asked, wiping her tears away. "Everything alright?" She was worried.

"Just getting a drink. I'm thirsty." He murmured heading down the stairs.

Amita nodded and went back into her room.

Charlie looked around the empty kitchen. He sat at the table. He sat there until it was five in the morning. He didn't go to sleep at all during that time, Alan had forgotten to give him his insomnia pill. Charlie shrugged and walked over to the counter. He grabbed the bottles of pills. Next, the fridge. He opened it and smiled. Beer is always on hand for Don. He grabbed five bottles then thought about it. He put three back and headed upstairs.

* * *

Alan got up at his usual time. 6 am. He yawned and went downstairs quietly, so that he didn't wake anyone.

He thought about that. Did he give Charlie his sleeping pill last night? Alan shrugged, there would be one way to figure that out, check the bottle. So he walked over and low and behold, what did Alan find, but no bottles. Alan checked the cabinets to see if he had put them in there. He couldn't find them anywhere. Alan was getting frantic now. Maybe Charlie knew where he had put them. Maybe Charlie took them. Alan ran upstairs, not bothering to be quiet and threw open Charlie's bedroom door. "Oh my god."

Alan walked slowly into the room and started crying. All the notebooks had math written on them, which bothered him. But it didn't bother him as much as the empty pill bottles and the two empty beer bottles. And Charlie. His eyes where closed and he was pale. Alan watched his hand tremble as he reached out to check Charlie's pulse. He sighed in relief when he felt one. It was slight, but there was one. "Amita!"

Amita woke up to hear her name over and over. It was Alan. She got up quickly and ran into Charlie's room. Was she having another dream? Just a little bit different then the other one? She did get sick. Oh, Charlie had a slight smile on his lips. No. He had to still be alive.

Alan helped Amita up, "Can you call 9-1-1?" His face was wet from the tears, but his voice was strong, "He's still got a pulse"

Amita nodded and went to call.

Alan sat down next to Charlie, brushing his curly hair out of his face, "Why? Why do you do this to me?"

* * *

Don kissed her. "Hey, wake up, babe."

Nancy smiled and turned over in her sleep. "Isn't it nice that I'm all healed? That was some celebration we had last night."

Don laughed, "Yes. From when my family and friends had you over for dinner last night to right now."

Don had ran into Nancy when Charlie had gone into his check up a week after they had met. She was wearing red hair then. He found out that she was done with all of her treatments the day they had met, but she was still getting some tests done to see if she still had cancer. She had gotten the good news yesterday that she didn't have any.

Don's cell rang, and he would have ignored it. Except it was too early for it to not be an emergency, and the number was from his childhood home. "Yes?" He asked as Nancy smiled up at him.

Nancy started to get worried when Don's mouth started to tremble and his eyes started to get damp. "I'll be there right away." She heard him say in a shaky voice.

"Don?" She asked.

"Charlie, he." Don swallowed, "He took all of his pills with alcohol."

Nancy's eyes grew wide. She got up, "Let's get dressed and get to the hospital."

* * *

Dr. Mina Flint walked out in the waiting room. She didn't have to call out the patients name to find the family. She had met them before. She walked up to them. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"He is going to fine, right?" Alan asked, worried for his son.

"Probably." Mina opened her eyes, "We have to give him a gastric lavage."

"A what?" Alan asked, confused.

"They're going to pump his stomach, dad." Don said, "Right?"

Mina nodded. "So, you can't see him right now. You can when he is in recovery."

"Is he awake?" Amita asked.

Mina nodded again, "Yes. A bit incoherent. But nothing unusual. We're going to try to put the tube through his mouth and if Charlie won't let us do that, we will have to go through the nose." She shook her head, "I've already contacted Dr. Roland and Dr. Tirry. They will be here shortly." She walked off the way she came.

Alan, Don, Amita, and Nancy all sat there in silence. But the silence was broken by Dr. Harry Roland and Dr. Ben Tirry.

"He overdosed? And drank beer?" Tirry sneered.

Alan nodded, eyes getting tearing again, remembering how he had found his son, "Two bottles of beer."

Roland sighed and shook his head, "I am afraid that when he gets let out of this hospital that we have to take him with us to an Institution for a few days or more."

Don closed his eyes and sighed inwardly. Why could a genius be so stupid sometimes? Don knew that Charlie had wanted to stay home and get better. "Will we be able to visit him?"

"After the first day you can. visiting hours only." Dr. Roland said sadly. "I really didn't want to see Charlie in one of those places."

"Me either." Don said sadly.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I'd like the thank all of you who after finding out that I got my first flame on the story started defending it and me right away. It means a lot, really it does!

* * *

**

"Charlie." Dr. Mina Flint said. He looked at her. "This is going to go down your throat. We have to pump what is in your stomach. Got it?" He nodded.

Charlie started gagging right away. It was very uncomfortable, His stomach hurt. Charlie closed his eyes. Charlie knew what was going to happen to him. Why had he done it? He did it because he couldn't shut the numbers off. He did it because he was weak. He was not strong. He so weak that once again, he failed to die.

Charlie remembered the times when he was strong. He had been strong before he started school; then during school he had been weak, everyone was picking on him, and Don acted like he had never seen his brother before. He had been strong during collage with his mom. He had been strong after collage. He had been weak when his mother got cancer and had laid dying on her bed. He had gotten strong again with Don's and Alan's help. But now? Why was he so weak now? Too much pressure, too many numbers, his brain wouldn't let him sleep, he wasn't ever hungry, people left, people forgot. He knew why he was weak.

Something felt different. The tube was coming out. His stomach didn't hurt as much. But, oh his throat was sore. A tear went down his face. He hated himself for being weak. He hated himself for hating himself. He had to get strong again. He just had to.

"Alright, Charlie. We're taking you to your room, you'll get settled then I will let the family loose and you and you will have to deal with what you dealt yourself." Mina said into Charlie's ear.

Charlie still had his eyes closed and he nodded, feeling himself being taken away.

He didn't open his eyes until he was in his room alone, before his family came. He looked around the room, he knew that he didn't want to end up here again. Charlie looked out the window to see the morning sun. He leaned his head back against his pillow and started crying.

Alan rushed to Charlie as soon as he opened the door, his little boy was crying. He hugged Charlie like his son was his last hope, "Shh. Little one. It will be okay."

Charlie nodded into his father's shoulder. "Yes, I know that now." Charlie replied in a rough voice.

Alan let go of Charlie and smiled, "How about some ice chips? I'm sure that your throat is sore."

Before Charlie could answer, Don stepped in. "Dad. Don't baby him." His tone was dark, unforgiving. "He should pay for what he put you through. Us through!"

"Don! You will not talk like that in front of him or me! You don't know what he's going through!"

Don sneered at Charlie, "Oh, He knows. He knows. Only and idiot wouldn't know."

"Donald Alan! You-"

Charlie spoke up, no matter how hard it pained him, he had to raise his voice to be heard over the yelling, "Stop! Don's right! I know!" He closed his eyes and spoke quieter, "I know. I know now."

Amita stepped up, "And I guess I know now too. I was an idiot."

She locked eyes with Charlie.

"What are you talking about, Amita?" Don asked, anger still showing in his voice.

"If I had spoken up instead of denying it all, this would have never happened." Amita sighed, sitting down.

"No, Amita. I should have spoken up." Charlie said quietly, "And I should have never put you in a position like that."

"Like what?" Nancy asked.

"The other night when I went to bed, I checked in on Charlie and-" Her voice cracked.

"She stopped me before I pilled the trigger." Charlie said, eyes on Don.

"Charlie?" Don asked, glaring at his brother, "Where did you get a gun?"

"You gave it to me." Charlie said simply.

Don blinked a few times, obviously dumbfounded. "I-I gave it to you?"

Charlie nodded. "To protect myself. Remember? You had even taken me to the range so that I learned how to defend myself."

Don sat down quickly. He did remember. He remembered that Charlie hadn't wanted to keep the gun in his room, but Don had made him. He remembered that Charlie didn't want to go to the range and learn, but Don had made him. He remembered that Charlie asked for the gun to be unloaded and have no amo around, he said he could scare the attacker away just by having the gun pointed, but Don had made him have amo. It was Don's fault.

"Not your fault." Charlie said, as if reading Don's thoughts. "My fault. Weak." He coughed a little. "Can I have some ice chips?"

Don nodded and watched as Alan give some to Charlie.

The door opened and Dr. Harry Roland and Dr. Ben Tirry walked in.

"Been listening outside." Dr. Tirry said.

Charlie nodded, eyes closed. He had known.

"Charlie?" Dr. Roland asked. "Why did you tell anyone about what you were feeling or your thoughts?"

Charlie shrugged, keeping his eyes closed.

"I think I will have to change your medications being as they don't seem to be working as well as we expected." Harry said.

Charlie nodded. He understood. His mind was pretty clear now, in hindsight.

Dr. Roland looked at Dr. Tirry and Dr. Tirry sighed. "We will be leaving for now." He grumbled. "But we will be back."

The two left and it was quiet.

No one spoke.

Nancy's stomach growled. "Sorry. I'm hungry. Haven't had breakfast."

Alan nodded, "None of us have, dear. Let's go get some."

Everyone but Don and Charlie stood.

"Donnie?" Alan asked.

"I'm going to stay here with him, I think." Don answered looking down at Charlie who seemed to be sleeping.

Alan nodded and lead the rest out.

It was quiet.

Charlie broke the silence, "I'm going to become strong again."

Don jumped, he had thought that Charlie had been asleep. "You are strong now, Charlie." He said after he had calmed down.

Charlie shook his head. "No I'm not. I'm weak. But I've been weak before." He paused as a slight smile played across his lips, "Never been this weak before." He put amusingly, "But, I will be strong again, Donnie. Stronger than ever. I promise."

Don stared down at his brother. Had Charlie had an epiphany or something? Don thought about it. Charlie very well could have had one. Don smiled down at his brother. "Glad to hear that."

Charlie opened his eyes when heard footsteps walking away, "Donnie?"

"Just going to get some breakfast. I'm starving!" He smiled and waved a good bye before leaving.

Charlie smiled to himself. He would be strong again. No matter what.

* * *

Charlie sighed and stared out the window at the moving landscape. He was nervous. He was scared. He was numb. He put his head against the glass.

Don looked back when he heard a thump. "Hey, Buddy? You okay?"

"Yeah." Charlie replied sadly. He didn't want to be in the car. He didn't want to go. He looked at Don, "Do I have to?"

Don nodded grimly. "Yes. I'm sorry. I didn't want you to go, but you have to."

Charlie looked down at his hands and tried to get out of the handcuffs.

_"I'm ready to go home." Charlie told his father and brother._

_They stared back at him. "Uh. Charlie." Don said, looking down at the floor, shifting his weight. "You're not going home."_

_Charlie blinked. It was happening. They were taking him to the "Looney Ben". Suddenly Charlie was lightheaded and he was having trouble breathing. "No. No. No." He murmured. "I don't want to!" He quickly looked around, trying to find a way to escape._

_Don and Alan had been ready for that. Alan was left to guard the door and Don was going to catch Charlie in the room, then they would drive him there. Don watched as Charlie started running towards the door. Don went after him, he knew that Alan would have trouble keeping his son in the room. Don tackled Charlie to the floor easily, and he hand cuffed him._

_"Donnie!" Charlie yelled as the air got thrown out of his lungs from the tackle, "Not Criminal!"_

_Don sighed and sat Charlie up, "Are too." Charlie was hurt, not just from the tackle. "Charlie. Didn't mean it that way."_

_Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Un-cuff?"_

_"No." Don smiled as he went and un-cuffed Charlie's hands from behind him, then quickly cuffed them in front of Charlie. "Better?"_

_"No."_

_"Tackle hurt?"_

_"Bit."_

_"Where?"_

_"Ribs."_

_"Sorry."_

_"It's okay."_

_Alan had to smile at how his two boys where communicating. Two words tops. "Alright. Should we check you out, Charlie? Make sure you're alright?"_

_"Am alright." Charlie said, trying to get up, but because he had no hands to help push him up, he was having trouble. He looked at Don who was already standing, "Help?"_

_"Help." Don answered, picking Charlie up. "Going quietly?" Don asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"Quietly." Charlie sighed as he let his father and brother lead him to the car in cuffs._

Charlie sighed. "Are we almost there?"

Don looked and nodded. "I can see it. Dr. Roland and Dr. Tirry are both going to be there waiting for you."

Charlie looked from his dad to his brother quickly. "You guys aren't coming in?"

"We can for a bit, but just to say by. But we can visit you tomorrow." Alan answered, pulling into the parking lot, "Don't worry, son. You're be alright."

Charlie nodded. He wasn't for sure. He didn't want to find out if he was going be alright in there.

They pulled up and Don opened the door for Charlie and helped him out.

"What if I promise to never do anything like that again?" Charlie pleaded.

Alan felt tears threaten to spill. He heard how scared Charlie was.

Don had heard too, but just by looked at his dad, he knew that he had to be stronger. "Sorry, Buddy. That won't work."

"Ugh. I bet they won't let me do math in there." Charlie said as he went up the steps, between his father and brother.

Don had to smile. That sounded like the old Charlie. The Charlie he missed. The Charlie he wanted. "I'm sure they will let you. You do know that you will get a room and they might let you have paper and a pencil in it."

Charlie looked at Don. "Stop making fun of me. That's not the type of math I was talking about." He rolled his eyes.

"What math?"

"The kind where paper won't suffice. The kind where I need a black board." Charlie murmured. His knees where becoming weak as they made their way into the building.

Dr. Tirry walked up to great them. "Hello, Charlie. Alan, Don." He gave them each a head nod. "Time to say good bye."

"Already?" Alan asked, tears threatening again.

Tirry nodded. "But you can come tomorrow. Visiting hours. 10 am - 8 pm. But Charlie will have a schedule and when you come, he may not be able to see you right away. You can get his schedule tomorrow. We will be making one with him today." Tirry looked at them all, "I will give you five minutes." He walked off.

They were quiet for a bit. Not knowing how to do this.

Until Alan was suddenly hugging Charlie so tight that Charlie could barely breath. "Dad ..." He gasped.

Don noticed and pulled Alan off Charlie. He looked at his younger brother, "You alright?"

Charlie managed a small smile, "Think something is wrong with my ribs from the tackle."

"Oh. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Little One." Alan said, patting Charlie on the back, "I just. I just will miss you."

Charlie nodded. "I know dad. I'll miss you too."

Alan couldn't take it anymore. He hugged his son more gently this time and walked out.

Charlie raised his hands, "Un-cuff me right now, Donnie. Or I swear I will got after you break your ribs after they let me out of here." He was smiling. Joking with his brother.

Don smiled and un-cuffed his brother. Charlie did seem better already. "I didn't break your ribs, right?"

Charlie laughed and shook his head, "No. But that was just a threat. I added interest to the damage from the tackle." They embraced quickly. "I'll be strong in here. As long as you stay strong out there with dad. Promise?"

"Promise."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Sorry if this one seems short. It seems short to me.  
And what a great episode of Numb3rs tonight.

* * *

**

Charlie turned and started walking toward Dr. Ben Tirry. He was rubbing his wrists, the cuffs didn't help his fresh skin there any. He was moving awkward from his ribs and stomach hurting. His throat was still sore from the stomach pump.

"Done already?" Tirry asked. Charlie nodded silently. "Let's get you to your room. Yeah?"

Charlie just let Dr. Tirry lead him to the room. Charlie knew he had to be strong, but the place scared him. All of the doors where locked. He felt trapped without actually being caged up. He almost ran into Dr. Tirry when he stopped.

"Here we are Charlie. This is your room." He opened the door and Charlie walked inside.

There was a bed, a desk, and a chair. And sitting in the chair was Dr. Harry Roland. "Heya Charlie." He smiled and got up to great him. "I'm planning on you not being here very long. I hope you're planning the same thing. Then it should make our work easier."

Charlie nodded and started massaging his wrists. "Yeah. I want out of here as soon as possible."

"That's good." Dr. Roland said, patting Charlie on the back. Who in turn took a deep intake of breath and winced. Harry raised an eyebrow. "Did that hurt?"

Charlie nodded. "I got some of my ribs hurt earlier today." He said, sitting down on the bed.

"Should we have a look at them? We do have an infirmary here." Dr. Roland suggested.

Charlie looked up into Roland's eyes. "No. I'll be fine."

Harry Roland believed him. He knew that Charlie was going to fine. He knew that Charlie was going to get better. He smiled. "Alright. Then tell me what happened."

Charlie sighed. "They told me. I didn't want to come and Don tackled be, then he cuffed me." He hadn't realized that his massaging on his wrists had became stronger when he talked about the cuffs.

Roland nodded. "I understand that you didn't want to come." He smiled and laughed a little, "But I don't think Don needed to cuff you."

Charlie smiled a bit, "Me either."

Ben cleared his throat. "Shall we continue and make a schedule?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah. Let's get this over with. I want to be strong again." He sighed and laid down on the bed.

"Alright. Let's first write down the community activities." Tirry said, getting out a pencil. "Breakfast at 7. Lunch at 12. Dinner at 6. Bed at 9."

"Put him down for his sessions at 1." Harry said simply. "Then we still have the same time as before." He turned to Charlie who had his eyes closed. "Anything you want to put in?"

"Math. I want a time to do math." He stated.

Tirry blinked. "Charlie. You can do math at any free time. The living room area has paper and pencils and then we can supply you with some too, so that you can do math in your room."

Charlie sat up suddenly. "No. I want a chalk board. Even if it is five minutes a day. I want to spend some of it writing on a chalk board doing math."

Roland nodded. "I think we can fit one in on your schedule. How about whenever you are done eating breakfast till 9? You will be supervised of course, but we can even get a currently empty room to put the board in."

Charlie nodded and laid down again. "Alright. Sounds good to me."

* * *

Charlie had an easy first day. All he had to do was get the feel of the place. So, in the morning when all the lights came on all at once, he got up. He got dressed in the outfit they gave him and made his way for breakfast. Breakfast today was cold cereal. Charlie sighed when his got soggy within a minute.

He was looking forward to doing some math. He stood up and was escorted to the room by a man named Matt. It seemed as if Matt enjoyed math and was only working there so that he could pay his bills through collage. His major was mathematics. He was going to watch over Charlie while he worked.

Charlie smiled as he walked up the black board and got out a fresh piece of chalk. It felt comfortable in his hands as he began to work.

Matt watched in awe. He had heard of Dr. Charlie Eppes, but he had never thought that he'd meet him. And he didn't really expect to meet him in his place of work. He watched closely to the math problems that Charlie was writing down. "Dr. Eppes?"

Charlie stopped and turned. "It's not 9 already, is it?" He looked disappointed.

Matt shook his head, "No. It's just that. I was wondering where that math problem came from. It's a rather big equation to come off the top of your head."

Charlie looked at the board and then back at Matt. "Well, I'm making it up right now."

Matt gaped. "That is a really big problem."

Charlie smiled sadly. "Yeah. I mean, it's not that big of one to me." He went back to writing.

"Not that big? Dr. Eppes, there are about thirty variables that I can see in that problem."

Charlie smiled at the awe in Matt's voice, "Once I worked with 600 variables."

Matt's eyes grew. "On what?"

"I was helping the FBI in an arson case. I used 600 variables instead of the regular 7." He nodded and went back to writing.

"You help the FBI?"

Charlie smiled slightly. Maybe he wouldn't get as much math done today as he'd hoped. But Matt seemed like a nice guy who genuinely wanted to know. Charlie put down his chalk and turned, nodding to Matt. "My brother. He's an FBI Agent."

Matt smiled, "That's so cool. And you're a professor at CalSci? I want to go there so bad."

Charlie nodded. "It is a really nice place. I hope you get to end up there someday."

Matt nodded. "I'm sorry, Dr. Eppes. I seem to be keeping you from doing your math work. I'll just watch you work."

"It's fine if you want to talk, Matt."

"No. You work. You requested a time for it. They just thought that I might learn something watching you." Matt said simply.

Charlie smiled, "Well, you know what, Matt? I've missed teaching a lot." He chuckled a bit, "Let me teach you something..."

* * *

Charlie was in the community area when they came. He had a pad and pencil on his lap. They saw him through the window, a young man that worked there walked up to Charlie and put a hand on his shoulder, telling him that he had visitors. Charlie nodded and stood up.

As soon as he could, Alan hugged Charlie. "Hey, Little One. I've missed you."

"Missed you too dad." Charlie hugged back. When they were done, he looked at his father and then his brother, "Come on. We can go to my room and talk."

Charlie lead them to his rather empty room and closed the door behind them.

Don sat on the bed with Alan while Charlie took the chair.

"Nice small, empty room you've got here, Chuck." Don said, looking around.

"Don't call me Chuck." Charlie growled.

It was quiet. No one knew what to say. They sat like that for an hour, until there was a polite knock at the door. Charlie sighed and got up to open it.

"Charlie." Dr. Tirry said, "It's one. You missed lunch." He sighed and shook his head, "It's time for your session." He turned to Don and Alan. "You guys can leave if you want. Or stay. It will only be an hour or so." He smiled and pulled Charlie by the arm.

"Dr. Tirry." Charlie started. "Let go. You're hurting me." He pleaded.

Tirry sighed and let go. "Charlie. I am just angry right now."

"At me?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"Not completely. It's just that I don't agree with Dr. Roland about you." he sighed and glared at Charlie. "I shouldn't be telling you this. Step into my office." He indicated the door.

Charlie hesitantly walked in. "While we are on the subject, where is Dr. Roland?"

Tirry shot Charlie a dirty look, "That is none of your concern. You are a patient."

Charlie nodded, "Yes, Dr. Tirry. I understand."

"Good." Ben sat down in his chair while Charlie sat across from him. "So, hows your day been?"

Charlie sighed. "Pretty good. I had breakfast and then I went to do some math. After that my family came."

"Talk about anything interesting?"

Charlie shook his head, "We didn't really talk much."

Tirry made a note. "Let's talk about why you ended up in here."

Charlie sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm weak. Alright. I've got it." He leaned back, "I don't really wanna talk about it."

Tirry sighed, "Alright. Let's talk about your math work."

"The one that I tried doing this morning?" Charlie asked, looking at Tirry.

Tirry nodded, "Yes. Before Mr. York changed what you where working on."

"Mr. York?"

"I think you know him as Matt." Tirry sighed.

Charlie smiled a bit, "I was working on using math to evaluate my mind."

"Uh-huh?" Tirry sighed again, "And what did you find?"

"I found that I cannot use math to determine my mind. At least, not yet. I need more information on it." Charlie sighed, "Can I leave?" He was pretty jumpy and he didn't like the room that Dr. Tirry had led him into.

Tirry glared at Charlie as the door opened and Dr. Roland walked in. "Sure you can Charlie." He smiled. "I need to talk to Dr. Tirry right now. So, your session is cut short today."

Charlie left the room quietly.

"You are not going to do that too him." Harry said as soon as Charlie had the door closed.

"Why not? I think he could use it." Ben said gruffly back.

Harry chuckled, "Are you aware that the way you want to do it, by not telling him and his family everything about it, that they could sue you. Sue us?"

Ben laughed now, "Yeah. Sure. Sue us over what?"

"Ben, if his IQ goes down any at all during the process ..."

"Aw, come on, Harry. Don't be such a wimp." Ben rolled his eyes.

"Ben." Harry's voice was stern, "I don't think you understand fully what that does to patients. It may help Charlie, but it may hurt him more. I can't even believe that you are even thinking about doing it to him so soon."

"He's tried to kill himself three times in a month!" Ben exclaimed, "Tell me that is not reason enough!"

Harry growled something under his breath and stood up, "I have to leave for a week, but if I find out that you put Charlie through electroconvulsive therapy while I was away, I cannot and will not hold back my actions against you."

"Oh. The great and wonderful Dr. Roland is threatening me?" Ben chuckled.

Harry glared and slammed the door as he left.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I wanna start a "Hate Dr. Tirry" club.  
And Dr. Ben Tirry is an original character that I made up, he is not based off a real person.  
None of my OC's are based off real people.  
Also, want to remind you all ... Fan Fiction. I made this up. All of this story came from the inner workings of my mind.

* * *

**

Charlie decided to check his room, to see if his family was still there. He heard talking coming from inside when he got closer. They were still there. He sighed and hoped that they would continue talking when he entered the room. He opened the door slowly and peeked in. Charlie looked all around his room and found that there wasn't much room to walk anymore due to people sitting there.

"Hey, Wiz Kid." Colby said, standing up to greet him.

"Hey." Charlie said sadly, walking in and seeing everyone who really mattered to him. "What are you all doing here?"

"Well, we found out what happened when Don said that he wasn't going to work today." David started.

"Yeah, and so the three of us came to see you." Megan finished. She smiled at Charlie.

"Alright. That explains you three. And I know why Dad and Don are here. What about you three?" Charlie asked, confronting three others in the room.

"Well, of course I knew about it." Amita said, "And so I told Larry. We both wanted to show up and support you, Charlie."

Larry nodded. "Yes. And I had gotten a call from Nancy, she needed a ride. So, we picked her up."

"I knew of course." Nancy said simply. "And I wanted to see you."

"I think we all wanted to see Charlie." Alan smiled on the bed. He moved a bit, "Come and sit with us, Son."

Charlie made his way to the bed to sit with Don and Alan. "And they just let you all in my room?"

"A man showed us in here. After he asked who we where here to see." Megan said. "His name was ..." She thought.

"York." Colby put in.

Charlie nodded. "Matt York."

"Yeah." Amita said nodding, "He showed us into your room too."

Charlie nodded, "Yeah. Matt's a good guy." He yawned.

"You tired buddy?" Don asked, concerned.

Charlie nodded, his eyes at half mast. "They changed my medications again and I swear that a side-effect for every single one has downiness."

"We can leave if you want us to." Colby suggested, "So that you can sleep?"

Charlie shook his head laying his head on Alan's lap, "No. Don't leave. Stay." He yawned again, "And please, fill free to talk. It's relaxing."

Alan started running his hands through Charlie's unruly hair. "Alright. We'll do that."

* * *

Charlie woke up to hear some talking. He couldn't make out the words or who was talking, but he turned over and realized that his head was on a pillow now. Apparently they had moved him off his father's lap. He shrugged inwardly, his father probably just had to move around some.

Amita was in the room with Don. She heard a noise coming from the bed and she watched as Charlie turned over in his sleep. She sighed. She knew that she was part of the reason why Charlie ended up in the Institution. But if it was helping her friend, then she was glad he was here.

Don also watched Charlie move in his sleep. He looked around the empty room, everyone had left earlier with all kinds of different reasons but Don wanted to stay. He felt that it was his fault that Charlie ended up in an Institution. He knew that logically, he was wrong, but Don felt that if he would have been more observant to Charlie then Charlie would be fine.

Both Amita and Don jumped slightly when they heard Charlie's voice. "You stopped talking." he turned over again and sat up. He blinked a few times, yawning. "What time is it?"

Don looked at his watch. "Almost six, buddy."

Charlie nodded sleepily. "I've got to go and eat. They only serve dinner at six and I missed lunch." He smiled at them, "And you guys need to eat too. I invite you both to eat with me and the others here, but you don't want to do that."

"Charlie," Amita started, "We'd love to eat with you."

Charlie smiled, "Yeah. Me. With real, normal food. Not with everyone and not the food they serve here."

Don laughed. "We can come back later."

Charlie shook his head, "Nah. Don't bother. Just come back tomorrow." He smiled, "I'm fine. Really."

Don and Amita left hesitantly.

Charlie looked around his empty room. He sighed and walked out, closing the door behind him as he made his way for his dinner for the night.

* * *

Dr. Harry Roland was glad that he was back. He had just spend the past week in Nebraska with a family emergency. His nephew had died in a car accident and no matter how important his work was in California, he had to be there for his sister. He hadn't really known his nephew very well, but he had moved to California as soon as he was 18.

Harry had slept all morning and then made his way to work. He sighed as he walked into his office around one. He walked up to the front desk, "Can you tell me where Dr. Tirry is right now?"

The nurse looked on the computer, "It says that he is with a patient right now."

"Name?"

"Charles Eppes."

Harry nodded. "And where are they at?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I cannot tell you that, Dr. Roland."

Harry sighed, "Yes you can. If you look again you will see that Dr. Eppes is also a patient of mine."

She blushed and looked again, "I am so sorry for that, Dr. Roland." She cleared her throat, "It seems as if they are in ECT room right now."

Harry nodded her a thanks and quickly made his way there.

* * *

Charlie could feel his body going numb. The muscle relaxants seemed to work quicker this time. His eyes became half mast as he fell into sleep.

* * *

Dr. Ben Tirry smiled, glad that they could start the process again. This would be Charlie's third ECT this week. He was glad that Harry wasn't there to yell at him. Tirry was just as good, maybe even better, than Roland in the line of work, or at least that's what he thought. He hated how everyone would be praising Roland and never Tirry. He just hoped that he got some praise this time, for curing the sick professor.

Ben turned when he heard the door open.

Harry didn't stop himself at all. He had warned Ben. Harry didn't care if it got him fired from his current job, he'd find a new one easily enough. Heck, he'd take Ben to court to prove that Ben should be fired and not him.

Harry ran and jumped on Ben, knocking him on the ground, pinning him. "You stop this now!"

Ben chuckled, "Too late. They should be starting the process already." Ben laughed a bit more, "And anyway, this isn't his first session. It's his third!" He shut up when he felt Harry's hand meet his face.

Harry stopped himself before he hit Ben again. He stood up and looked into the room just in time to see Charlie going through a seizure. Harry glared about until the minute passed. He rushed into the control room and yelled at the man to stop right away. He rushed in and got Charlie out of the machine and put him in the wheel chair they had for him.

Harry started wheeling Charlie out of the room when Ben stepped in the way. "Charlie needs this. It will help him."

"Says you. I am against it. And a patient with two doctors cannot go through a treatment without both of them agreeing." He glared at Ben. "If Charlie does not regain all of his memories," Harry started before Ben interrupted him.

"You don't know that Charlie has lost some of his memories."

Harry laughed dryly. "Of course I do. Patients always loose some. The least amount lost is just from the beginning of the treatments. But the usual amount is the last six months!" Harry yelled, "But if he doesn't get all of his memories back, or if his IQ goes down any they can sue you. I won't be effected by it because we did not agree on putting him through ECT." He started to wheel Charlie away again when Ben spoke up.

"I can get you fired for hitting me."

"Feel free." Harry turned and smiled at Ben. "I will just tell them why I hit you." He paused, "I bet you didn't even tell the Eppes family everything that goes along with ECT did you?" Ben didn't have any answer to that, because Harry was right. "Good day, Dr. Tirry." Harry wheeled Charlie out of the room and into Charlie's room.

He put Charlie on his bed and then got to a phone. He called up the Eppes family.

"Hello."

"Is this Mr. Eppes?" Harry inquired.

"Yes, this is Alan."

"This is Dr. Roland. You and Don might want to come and talk to me and Charlie."

"Is something wrong with Charlie?" Harry could hear Alan's worry.

Harry sighed. "We should talk here."

"Yes. Alright. We'll be right there." Alan hung up the phone in a daze.

He had to call Don.

"Eppes."

"Donnie." Alan said, still in a daze.

"Dad? Hey. What's up?" Don leaned back in his chair at the office.

"Dr. Roland just called."

"Oh God. Dad. Charlie?" Don sat forward, worried.

"I don't know. He just wants us to meet with him and Charlie. So that we can talk." Alan said with a sigh. "Just you and me going, Donnie."

"Alright dad." Don said, "I'll meet you there?"

"Yeah."

Don hung up the phone and told Megan that he had to leave. Before she could ask why he was in his SUV heading to Charlie.

* * *

Roland waited in Charlie's room for his family. He was actually surprised by how soon they came. He imagined they had speeded. He told them to take a seat and indicated to the two extra chairs he put into the room.

Alan sat down, staring down at Charlie who was sleeping soundly in his bed. Was there something wrong with his baby boy?

Don didn't want to sit down. He looked around, "Is Dr. Tirry not joining us?"

Roland chuckled briefly. "He is probably getting an x-ray of his nose at the moment." He looked up to see two questioning faces. "I punched him."

"You punched him? Why?" Don asked, sitting down now.

Roland sighed. "Did Dr. Tirry tell you both that he was going to put Charlie through ECT?"

Alan nodded. "Yes. He did."

"Did he tell you that I was against it?"

Alan looked at the doctor, "No. Is this about the ECT?"

Roland nodded this time, "Yes. I came back from a week away at a family emergency to find Charlie going through the treatment. I pulled him out of there as soon as I could. It was his third treatment this week." He sighed. "I very much doubt Dr. Tirry told either of you, or Charlie about what ECT can do to a patient." He looked at the two and found blank faces. "It often takes away some of the patients memory, sometimes permanently."

Alan's mouth fell open. "That's not going to happen to Charlie is it?"

Roland looked down at the floor. "There is a 1/3 chance that he won't remember the last week or up to about six months."

Don could feel his heart pounding, he could hear it in his ear. He looked over at Charlie. What if Charlie didn't remember the past six months? He shook his head, not wanting to know. He looked up at Dr. Roland, "There is more, isn't there?"

Roland nodded. "In some cases patients have lost up to 30 points of their IQ."

"Dr. Tirry never told us these facts." Alan said, staring at his youngest son.

Roland nodded again, "I thought as much. And if any of those become true. You can sue him."

"I don't want to sue him yet. But I don't want him treating my son anymore." Alan said matter-of-factly.

"Yes. I understand. You, being the father of Charlie, can take him off the case and then Charlie will never see Dr. Tirry again." Roland said, looking back down at his feet.

"I want you to be Charlie's one and only doctor right now, Dr. Roland." Alan said, walking up to Charlie and stroking his hair.

Harry nodded. "I understand. You will have to sign some paperwork to make that official."

Alan nodded. "Let's go and do that now." He turned to Don. "You will stay here with Charlie?"

Don nodded, speechless. He watched the two walk out of the room. He moved his chair closer to Charlie. What would happen if Charlie did lose some of his memory permanently? Or if his IQ dropped 30 points? Would he still be a genius? Don didn't know Charlie's IQ or how high of one made a person a genius. He just hoped that Charlie would not forget who he was during this time.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Big thanks to stealthy290 for a review that put a smile on my face and gave me an idea for this chapter.  
I'm ignoring all of my other Fan Fics. It's just that I want to write this one so much, it's in my head and I have trouble not thinking about it.

* * *

**

Don quickly turned his head around when he heard the door open, he knew that Alan and Dr. Harry Roland should not be back by now. Don stood up and glared at the man.

Dr. Ben Tirry had thought that everyone left Charlie in his room to do some paperwork, he hadn't thought about Don being there. He cursed. He looked up to see Don striding over to him, Ben started to fidget.

Don closed the gap between them quickly. "Well, if it isn't Ben Tirry." Don said, manically cold.

"It's Dr. Ben Tirry." Tirry spat at Don.

"Not to me. Not to Charlie." Don stood a few inches away from Ben. He was breathing deeply. He wanted to kill this man for what he did to Charlie. But Don knew he couldn't do that. So, Don settled for the next best thing he could do. He punched Ben in the gut.

Ben went down to the floor right away with a gasp of air. Today was not a good day for him.

Don knelt down beside Tirry and punched him in the face. He smiled when the other man cried out in pain. Don didn't stop punching. All he wanted to do was hurt this man for hurting his brother. It's all he wanted. But had stopped when people where pulling him away from the broken and bloody Ben Tirry.

Alan and Harry had a heck of a time getting Don off Ben, but they ended up getting it done in the end. They had walked in to find Ben whimpering in a corner and Don beating the crap out of him. They held Don back until he calmed down.

"Donnie." Alan said, kneeling down with his son. "I understand why you felt you had to do that, but you can't."

"He hurt Charlie!" Don yelled, glaring at Ben who was in the fetal position a few feet away. "He deserved it!"

Alan nodded. "I know he did son, but you can't do this. It's not right. Your mother and I didn't raise you to do this type of stuff."

Don finally looked away from Ben and up to his father. He nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. But if I ever find out that _he_ hurt Charlie in other ways I will not stop myself until he gets the message."

Alan helped Don to his feet. "Are you hurt at all?"

"No. He didn't put up much of a fight." Don looked down at his feet.

Dr. Roland sighed. "Well, I may really dislike my college, but I need to get him to the infirmary." He sighed and got the wheel chair that he had brought Charlie in on and he and Alan put him in it. "I'll be back soon." He muttered as he wheeled the now unconscious Dr. Tirry out of the room.

Don slumped in a chair.

"Feel better now?" Alan asked, eyeing his eldest.

Don nodded. "Yeah. I do."

"Good. I hope you had some of those punches from me." Alan got out his sudoku book.

Don smiled, "Yep. Some of them where from you, some from me, but most of them where for Charlie."

"Dr. Roland says that Charlie should start waking up. The relaxants should be wearing off soon."

Don nodded and waited.

* * *

Charlie's limbs hurt. And he had a headache. He was so tired, but he wanted to get up too. He had this feeling that something had happened to him. But he didn't know what it was. He heard some muffled talking in the background. What where the voices talking about? He wanted to listen closer, but he hurt too much. He tried to move and get comfortable on the bed, but the bed wasn't his. Why wasn't he in his bed? Charlie started to worry. He felt horrible, hurting, hot, miserable. What had happened to him?

Don and Alan stopped talking when they saw Charlie move. He was waking up. Don got up and walked to the bedside. "Charlie? Buddy? Can you hear me?"

Charlie thought he heard his brother. But he didn't know for sure, he felt like he was going to get sick, but he didn't want to move. Moving hurt worse than just laying there. He wanted it to end. He groaned.

Alan went to Charlie's other side when he heard his son groan. "Charlie? Wake up Little One."

Little One? That was Alan talking to Charlie. Was he home, just sick? Or did something happen to him. He heard the first voice, Don's voice, begging him to wake up. But Charlie didn't want to wake up. He wanted to sleep. He groaned again, trying to tell them that he wanted sleep.

But Don was tired of waiting for Charlie to wake up, he wanted his brother now. "Charlie. Wake up, now!"

Charlie did as he was told and he slowly opened his eyes to see a big empty room and his family looking down at him with worried looks. "Happened?" He asked in a rough voice.

"Charlie?" Alan asked, he saw his son's eyes dart towards him. They where searching his face, "What is the last thing you remember?"

Charlie thought about it, "Award." He said simply, getting worried that something big had happened to him. Why was he so sore?

"What award, buddy?" Don asked.

"Mine." Charlie replied, getting worried. He had accepted the award last night. Alan, Don, Larry, and the whole team showed up. He had a very good night. What if he had gotten drunk and got in a car accident with some head trauma? That would explain why they where asking him what he remembered last.

Don sighed, his eyes full of fear and sadness. "Two months." He whispered.

Alan had a tear going down his face. He knew what award it was now. That one had meant so much to Charlie that everyone showed up. He was so proud of both of his sons that night. Charlie because he was getting an award and Don for showing up. Don even brought his team with him. Alan smiled sadly.

Charlie was starting to get worried. He had heard Don say two months and his dad was crying with a sad smile. What had happened? "Happened?" He asked again.

"We'll tell you in a minute." Alan said, walking toward the door.

"Dad?" Charlie asked, trying to sit up, but failed doing so.

He turned, "I'm going to go get Dr. Roland."

Don saw Charlie staring at him in fear. Don scooted Charlie over and he held him, "It's alright. Buddy. Everything is going to be alright."

What had happened? Charlie was getting really worried now, Don never would have held Charlie if something really bad hadn't had happened. And Alan just left to go and get a doctor. Charlie held onto Don, worried.

Alan and Harry walked in. "Hello, Charlie." Harry said with a smile. "How do you feel?"

"Confused."

Harry nodded. "Yes. That makes sense. Anything else?"

"Hurts. Headache."

"Yes. That's all normal after what you've been through. Tell me, Charlie. What is today's date?"

"Saturday. December. 3rd. 2006."

Harry sighed. "Two months. Just like you said, Mr. Eppes."

"Please, call me Alan." Alan smiled sadly.

"Charlie, your family and I are going to tell you what happened. Please stop us if you start to remember." Harry got the ball rolling, "My name is Dr. Harry Roland and you have been my patient for the last month."

"Are you sure we should be telling him this, now?" Alan interpreted.

Roland nodded, "It is best to try and get his memories back right away. We will be going through some therapy for this, but right now we should tell him the basics of what happened."

Alan nodded slowly, "Alright. I trust you, Dr. Roland."

Charlie held onto Don. He lost two months of his life. What happened? No matter how often Charlie asked himself that, he couldn't answer it. He looked at Don for support who looked back at him sadly.

"Charlie, look at me." Roland said, getting Charlie out of his thoughts. He sighed, "About a month ago you had a psychotic break."

"Crazy?"

"No, not crazy, buddy." Don said, holding onto Charlie more. He couldn't imagine how his little brother was feeling at the moment. "You just had some problems."

"Where?" Charlie asked, throat still hurting.

"We are at an Institution." Roland said simply. "You where doing much better with the help of myself and Dr. Ben Tirry."

"Tirry." Charlie said, closing his eyes, "Don't like."

Roland raised an eyebrow. "You remember him?"

Charlie shook his head, "Feeling hate to name."

Roland chuckled slightly, "That doesn't surprise me. See, you where doing better, but you had a relapse and that sent you here. Dr. Tirry wanted to put you through ECT while I didn't. But sadly I had to leave for a week and during that week, Dr. Tirry started ECT."

Charlie nodded slowly. Don had mixed feelings about how well Charlie was taking this. "Want to talk about it, Buddy?"

Charlie shook his head, "Sleep?"

Roland nodded. "Yes, Charlie. You can go to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up again. I promise."

"'Kay." Charlie snuggled into Don's arms, feeling safe there. He started doing math in his head, to calm him down. But it had the opposite effect. He started squirming and muttering.

"Charlie?" Don noticed right away. "Everything alright?"

Charlie's eyes shot open in fear. "No. Not Alright."

Roland walked closer, "What is it?"

"Math gone."

* * *

"We will give him a CT scan and a MRI." Dr. Roland told Alan and Don after Charlie had finally gotten back to sleep.

Alan nodded in a daze.

Don didn't hear the doctor talking. He was pissed. He was still holding onto the sleeping form of his brother, it was the only thing keeping him grounded. He wanted to finish what he had been doing to Tirry earlier. He wanted to hurt that man and take everything away from him, like he had done to Charlie.

"-Q test."

Don jerked his head up, "What?"

"I said that we should make Charlie take an IQ test to see if it has lowered any."

"He said he can't remember how to do math." Don said quietly, "I bet it has lowered."

Roland sighed and put his hands on his hips, "What I mean to say is that we will have him take one later. After he gets his memories back."

"If." Don said, subconsciously holding onto his brother tighter.

Roland nodded. "We will wait a while before we have him take and IQ test." He put a hand on Don's shoulder, "It's going to alright."

Don shuttered, like the doctor knew. He sighed mentally, he shouldn't put his anger where it didn't belong. Dr. Roland had to leave for the week and leave Dr. Tirry in charge, Don knew that. Don just needed to get his anger out. He let go of Charlie and gently laid him down on the pillow. He started towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Alan asked, voice rising.

"To the shooting range." Don replied, closing the door behind him.

Alan shook his head, "He shouldn't leave his brother."

Roland sighed, "It's alright, Alan. Don just needs to vent his rage on something, so he's going to go and shoot some paper people. I'm glad that he is doing something. He needs to calm down." He turned to Alan, "And you? How are you doing?"

"I'm doing pretty good considering. But don't you dare think that for one minute that I will leave Charlie's side."

Roland had to smile, "You know, I've had a lot of patients, but I don't think any of them has had such a dedicated support system."

"My Charlie is very special." Alan smiled, running his hands through Charlie's unruly hair. "He deserves the best after the way we made him feel."

Roland nodded, "It is very hard not to like Charlie, I'll give him that." He smiled, "I think that when he is better and when he is teaching at CalSci again, I will have to sit in one of his classes."

"_Math for Non-mathematics_." Alan said, "That the one I usually sit in. At least then I can start to understand the math that Charlie lives in."

Roland chuckled, "Sounds like my kind of class."

* * *

"-on?"

Don looked up to see Megan standing beside him. "Megan? When did you get here?" He asked, putting down his gun.

Megan sighed. "Five minutes ago. You weren't answering any of my questions about Charlie."

Don sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah. Sorry 'bout that. Lot on my mind."

"And it's all about Charlie. Talk to me. How is he doing?" Megan asked, leading Don out of the range and to a table with chairs.

"Did I tell you that Dr. Tirry put him through ECT?" Don glanced at Megan and by her wide eyes and gaping mouth, he guessed that he hadn't. "Dr. Roland had to leave for a week. Dr. Tirry put him through three sessions."

"How is Charlie?" Megan regained her composure.

"H-He doesn't remember the last t-two months." Don closed his eyes, stopping some tears, "A-And he s-says that the m-math is gone." He sighed and laid his head on the table, resting it on his hands.

"He's going to remember it all, right? Given time?" Megan asked, worried.

Don shrugged, "1/3 chance that he won't remember any of it ever again." He sat up, "Oh, here's the kicker. His IQ could have dropped 30 points."

"Oh my God. Poor Charlie." Megan said, in shock.

"And I have reason to believe I will be off duty for a bit. I want you to be in charge."

"Taking a leave? That's very good of you." Megan said with a slight smile. "Glad you did that."

Don shook his head, "I'd probably take one on my own. But I will probably be made to take one anyway."

"Why?"

"I may have beaten up Dr. Tirry." Don said, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. He suddenly sat straight and made eye contact with Megan. "How in the world did you get me to open up to you?"

Megan shrugged, "I didn't have to pry, you needed to talk. I think you where ready to tell someone." She paused, "How is Charlie taking this?"

Don shrugged. "He's only been awake once and we told him the gist of what happened. He was scared."

"I would be too, if I where in that position." Megan said simply. "But what would really scare me is if the second time I woke up and my brother wasn't there."

"You think I need to go back and wait for him to wake up, don't you?" Don asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yes, I do Don. I think that would help both you _and_ Charlie."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Well, typing this chapter has made my hyper.

* * *

**

Alan got up to answer Charlie's door. He had almost been asleep in a chair beside his youngest son when the load knocking brought him back to reality. He smiled grimily and made his way to the door. He opened it slowly and saw a young man he hadn't really seen before. Sure, Alan had seen this young man around, he worked at the Institution, but he didn't really know him. "May I help you?"

"Are you Mr. Eppes?"

"Yes." Alan said, getting worried.

The young man smiled slightly, "My name is Matt York and I know Dr. Eppes. I've been watching over him when he does his math in the morning." He paused, "Actually he's been teaching me math."

Alan smiled a bit, worry gone, "Come in. Please." He moved so that Matt could some in.

"I know what Dr. Tirry did to Dr. Eppes and I just wanted to see how he was doing."

Alan sighed, "He doesn't remember the last two months."

"So," Matt said, voice dropping, "He doesn't remember me."

Alan nodded slowly, "But we hope that he will soon remember it all."

"Well, Mr. Eppes, I have seen a few ECT patients while I've worked here and all three of them remembered within two weeks." Matt paused, "If that helps you feel better, knowing that."

Alan smiled, "It does. Thank you. Please, call me Alan."

Matt smiled with Alan, "Alright. I will."

The door opened and Don came in. He raised an eyebrow at Matt.

"Donnie." Alan said standing up, "This is Matt York. He wanted to see how Charlie was doing. Seems as if they have became friends."

Don smiled slightly. "Yeah. Alright." He sat down beside Charlie and watched his brother sleep.

"Agents Eppes, he is going to be alright. I may have met him not that long ago, but your brother is strong and he will pull through." Matt said, hoping to get Don in a bit of a better mood.

Don's smile grew, "Strong." he said under his breath. He recalled the conversation he had with Charlie. About how Charlie was going to get strong. Don's smiled faded, Charlie didn't remember the conversation. Dammit! He would give up two months of his memory to give Charlie his back. He'd do anything.

Don felt a hand on his knee. He looked up to see Charlie looked at him worriedly. "Charlie?"

Charlie smiled slightly, "Hurt?"

"No, buddy. I'm not hurt."

Charlie closed his eyes, "Good. Glad."

"How are you feeling, son?" Alan asked, after he noticed that Charlie was awake again.

"Better."

Alan smiled, "That's good to know." He put a hand on Charlie's shoulder, "Everything is going to be alright." He looked over at Matt who was standing in a corner, "Charlie, there is a friend here to see you, but you don't remember him."

"Met 'em recently?" Charlie asked, eyes still closed.

"Yep." Alan said, "But why don't you talk to him. He may help you remember some stuff. Alright?"

"Alright."

Alan waved Matt over to Charlie in his bed.

"Hey, Dr. Eppes."

Charlie chuckled, it sounded horrible coming through his rough voice, "Friend?"

"Yes, We're friends."

Charlie opened his eyes, "Dr. Eppes?" He smiled ornery.

Matt laughed, "Yeah, sorry. I still call you Dr. Eppes. If you want, I can call you Charlie..."

Charlie nodded, "Name?"

"Oh. I'm Matt."

"York." Charlie finished. He didn't quiet remember Matt, but he felt comfortable around him. He watched as Matt's eyes became wide, "No. Don't remember completely."

"But you remember some?" Don asked, on the other side of Charlie.

Charlie moved his head quickly to look at his brother, "Some."

Don grinned, "Yeah. That's great, buddy!"

Alan was grinning too, "I'm going to and get Dr. Roland! He needs to know!" Charlie could hear his dad leaving, saying _My baby boy is going to be fine! He's remembering!_

Charlie had his eyes closed again. "Buddy?" He opened his eyes and saw his brother, "Do you remember anything else?"

Matt and Don both waited patiently for an answer. And when it came, they could hardly hear it, "No."

"It'll come back in time." Matt said, trying to cheer his friend up, "Maybe if you looked at the math work you had been teaching me-"

Charlie groaned and turned over on his stomach. He put his face in his pillow, so that no one would see the tears. He cried silently. Neither his brother or friend knew that he was crying.

Don and Matt looked at each other then back down at Charlie. Don sighed. He knew what had made Charlie do that, he looked at Matt again. "Numbers." He mouthed at the young man.

Matt blinked a few times, then he understood. "Numbers?" He mouthed back.

"He can't remember." Don mouthed slowly.

Matt's face dropped, "Oh." He sat down with a thump. It was his fault that he made Charlie do ... whatever he was doing ...

"Not your fault. Didn't know." Don mouthed over.

"Should've known." Matt replied.

"Stop mouthing words."

Both men jumped when they heard Charlie's muffled words through the pillow.

Charlie sighed and turned over, putting his head where his tears where, they would never know.

"How'd you know buddy?" Don asked.

"Not stupid, Don." Charlie rolled his eyes.

Don smiled, "I know that, Charlie. And I am very glad that you're not."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at Don. "Dork."

Alan came in just in time to hear that word, "Charlie. Why are you calling your brother a dork?"

"Felt like it." Charlie said simply.

Don laughed out loud.

Dr. Harry Roland walked up, "So, you remembered something?"

"Yeah. Matt's last name." Charlie replied, ignoring his brother.

"Anything else?"

"No."

Dr. Roland smiled, "Well, it is good progress. And a good sign." He patted Charlie on the shoulder, "You'll remember it all soon."

The room was quiet, with an uncomfortable tension, no one knew what to say exactly. But when there was a knock at the door, all of them let out a breath that they had been holding.

Megan walked in with Colby. "Hey, Charlie."

"Hey." He replied back.

"Don had talked to me and so I decided that we should see you." Megan said, smiling at Charlie. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Charlie replied.

"All, come on, Wiz Kid. Don't lie." Colby said with a smirk.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Don't really know how to put how I feel. So, fine." He shrugged.

Megan nodded. "Yeah. I don't know how I would feel either."

Colby saw Matt, "Hey, aren't you that kid that brought us to Charlie's room the other day?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, I am. Charlie remembered my last name." He smiled.

"Alright, Charlie! That's great to hear." Megan said.

"Where's David?" Don asked.

"We still had some paper work at the office and we all wanted to see Charlie, so we drew straws and David lucked out." Colby said with a laugh. "He said that he would stop by later."

Megan spoke up, "And Larry said that he and Amita-"

"Amita?" Charlie asked, in a hurried voice.

Don sighed inwardly. Oh yeah, Charlie didn't know Amita had came back. He didn't know that Amita knew he went crazy and tried to kill himself three times - with one of those times stopping because Amita saw him with the gun. "Uh, yeah. Buddy. You guys had made a lunch date because she was going to be around."

Charlie sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Alright." He closed his eyes again.

Don noticed that Charlie had kept doing that, "Everything alright, buddy?"

"No." Eyes still closed.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, concerned.

"Headache." Eyes not opening.

Harry nodded. "Yes. Well, that is too be expected. You want some pain medication for that? And maybe for the pains?"

"Wait." Alan said, turning to Harry, "What pains?"

"Well," Dr. Roland began, "I think his limbs are still sore. Simple as that."

Alan calmed down, "Is that true son?"

Charlie nodded, eyes not even threatening to open.

"So, the medication?" Dr. Roland asked again.

Charlie nodded again.

"I'll be right back." Dr. Roland started to leave, but right before hand he turned to Matt, "Oh, and your break is almost up. I'm fine with you staying here, but if others find out ..."

Matt nodded and smiled, "Thanks for letting me stay, Dr."

"Not a problem." He left to go and get the medicine.

The room was quiet again, when the doctor was away. But this time the quiet wasn't so strained.

"Alright." Dr. Roland said, "Just bit here." He gave Charlie the medication, "Now, you should become happy soon, but you won't feel any pain. The only side effect is nausea. That is if you don't count being really happy ..."

"How happy?" Charlie asked, opening his eyes slightly.

Roland shrugged. "It's different with everyone."

Charlie nodded, closing his eyes again.

* * *

Larry let out his breath as he opened the door for him and Amita.

They were greated with a big smile and a bigger wave of the hand from Charlie. "Hiya!"

"Charles? Are you alright?" Larry asked, walking in the room slowly.

"Yeah. I'm great!" Charlie announced to all.

Don chuckled beside his brother. "Larry, Amita. I'd like you to meet Charlie who may have had a little too much pain medication."

Amita couldn't hide her laugh. She rarely ever saw Charlie this happy. "How much did he have?"

"Not a whole lot. It just makes him really happy." Colby said with a smile, "It was great to watch it happening."

Don nodded. "Very amusing."

Charlie started to giggle. "Donnie!"

Don rolled his eyes. "Again?"

Charlie nodded, "Yeah!"

Don helped Charlie out of bed and brought him to the bathroom.

Amita and Larry sat down next to Alan.

(Just to let you all know, Matt and Dr. Roland have left the room)

Charlie came out with his hands held high like he just won the best award ever.

Alan chuckled and shook his head.

Charlie looked around the room, "Larry! Amita! When did you two get here?" His words where slurring together slightly.

"Charlie," Amita said with a smile, "We came in here right before you made your trip to the bathroom."

"I remember that!" Charlie said excited. "Is that good that I remembered that?"

"Well, you never really forgot it, Charlie." Don said, making sure Charlie was settled in his bed. He sighed, taking care of a hyper-active, over-happy Charlie was exahasting.

"How long is he going to stay like this?" Amita asked Alan.

Alan shrugged, "Not for sure. But it is a nice change. Even if it is drug enduced."

"Can I leave?"

Alan looked up at his youngest son, "What?"

"I don't wanna be stuck in this room any more!" Charlie protested.

"Charlie." Don began, "I think you've got to stay in the room."

Charlie pouted, "Oh." His shoulders slumped. "Alright."

It broke Don's heart, Charlie had been so happy, and now ... well, he wasn't. Was the medicine wearing off? Or what his bipolar tendencies coming through. The answer was soon given to Don.

"Donnie!" Charlie yelled.

"Charlie?" Don replied slowly.

"Hiya!" Charlie had a huge grin on his face.

Don burst out laughing, the medicine was not wearing off yet.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: You all seemed to enjoy happy Charlie, so ... More happy Charlie! At least in the beginning.  
To bad the happiness doesn't last.

* * *

**

Don's cell rang.

"Phone!" Charlie yelled happily.

"Quiet buddy." Don said, "Eppes." He paused, listening.

"Who is it? Who is it?" Charlie asked, excited.

Alan put his hands on Charlie's shoulders, "Charlie, calm down. You need to be quiet for Donnie."

"Alright." Charlie slumped in his seat. He poked Don, "Why are you smiling?"

Don waved his hand at Charlie, "Alright. Be right there." Don hung up the phone, "That was Nancy. She wants to see you, Charlie." He stood up, "I'm going to and pick her up, then we'll come right back here. Alright, Buddy?"

Charlie blinked at his brother, "Who's Nancy?"

Don sighed and closed his eyes, "She uh. She's a friend of mine. Ours."

Charlie grinned, "Special friend?" He winked.

Don smiled and laughed, "Yeah. I've got to go and get her, alright?"

"Alright." Charlie waved Don goodbye.

Don sighed when he was out of the room. He hoped that Nancy would help Charlie's memory. Maybe she could trigger something. He sighed and turned a corner, running into David. "Oh, hey."

"Hey, Don." David said, "What's up, why are you leaving?"

"I'm going to pick up Nancy. Charlie n' the others are in his room." Don chuckled.

"Something funny, Don?"

Don grinned, remembering hyped-up Charlie, "Oh, you'll see."

David raised an eyebrow, "You're not going to tell me?"

"No." Don chuckled a bit more, "See ya later, man."

David watched Don walk off and he shrugged. He had no idea what he was walking into when he opened the door to Charlie's room.

"Da-Vid!" Charlie yelled.

Colby clapped his hands over Charlie's mouth, "Not so loud."

"Sorry." Charlie whispered cautiously after Colby took his hands away.

"Uh. Charlie?" David asked, walking in slowly.

"David?" Charlie asked, same tone, mimicking.

"I didn't really expect you to be so ..." David paused, "Happy."

"Yeah!" Charlie agreed, "Me either!"

"He's on some pain medication." Megan said, "Makes him happy."

David smiled, laughing, "Oh, well that explains it."

* * *

Don walked into Nancy's house, she had said over the phone that he could come right in, so that's what he did. Don loved the smell of Nancy's house, it smelled just like her. "Nancy! I'm here!" He yelled out.

Nancy came walking out of her room to greet Don, she was smiling when she heard his voice.

Don turned to meet her, but he jumped back and laughed nervously. "I thought you said you wouldn't wear that wig again. After all the attention it got you with my family and how it looked so much like Charlie's hair, you kinda didn't want to wear it around us anymore."

Nancy nodded, "Yes, but being as I've heard that Charlie has lost his memory of me." She paused, "And I'm thinking that if he saw me in the wig ..."

"... that he may remember some." Don said, smiling, "Great idea, Nancy." He hugged her, "Ready to go?"

"Ready when you are." She kissed him.

The two talked on their way about many things, but when Don saw the Institution he smiled, "Last I knew, Charlie was on some pain medication and he was, really happy." His smiled grew as he remembered, "I just don't know how long the drug happy Charlie will last." He sighed and parked his SUV. "Ready?"

"Ready."

The two made their way to the room. Which was rather quiet. Don started to get worried. Why was the room so quiet? His palms started to sweat, was something wrong? Did something happen to Charlie? He opened the door and saw Charlie asleep with everyone watching him closely.

They all turned their heads when they heard the door open. Don became very worried, "What happened?"

Alan sighed painfully and looked at Charlie. He was laying on his bed, eyes closed. He'd already been up to the infirmary. Charlie had a heart monitor now, and IV's. "H-He had a seizure, Donnie."

"What?" Don asked, his knees felt like they had turned to jell-o. "H-How?"

"Sometimes after ECT, the patients have some additional seizures." Megan swallowed.

"But he was fine when I left. More than fine, he was drug happy!" Don protested.

"Yeah, but drug happy won't stop a seizure." Colby said sadly.

Don didn't believe it. He couldn't. What did this mean for Charlie? Did it mean that his memory was going to get worse? Nancy lead Don to a chair that was right beside Charlie. "What does Dr. Roland say?"

"He said that he isn't worried much. But they are moving him up the CT and MRI lists. He will be going in a few minutes." Amita answered.

"What if he wakes up while he's in the machine? Think about what he would be thinking?" Don yelled, getting very worried for his brother.

"They've sedated him. He won't wake up for at least six hours." David said, "We've been told that we can stay with him until he goes in, but after that we should all go home for a bit. They also said that we can come back after the six hours."

Don nodded slowly. "I don't want to leave his side."

He felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Alan. "Son, I know. But we can't really be right there when he is getting his MRI." He patted Don, this was hard for him to say, "We should all go home and get a few hours of sleep after they take him away."

* * *

Charlie woke up to voices. He strained to hear them.

"Charlie's brain is normal."

"Thank God."

"So, the seizure?"

Seizure? He had a seizure? What was wrong with him? Charlie didn't move at all, he wanted to listen.

"... just a side-effect."

"Will he have more?"

"He shouldn't, but that's not a guarantee."

"Alright." Charlie heard a sigh, he still couldn't place any voices with people, but he continued to listen. "But he will remember everything?"

"Given time, he should. His brain and brain activity is normal for someone with his IQ, so everything should be back to normal soon."

"God, that's a relief to hear."

"He going to wake up soon?"

"Should." There was a pause, "Any minute now, actually."

"Alright. Thank you Doctor."

"No problem. I've got to go and see some of my other patients. But I'll be back in an hour to check on Charlie. But if he needs me, come and find me."

"Will do."

It was quiet. Charlie kept his eyes closed and tried to keep his breathing as if he were asleep.

He heard the door open and more voices.

"How is he?"

"Dr. Roland said he's going to be fine. He passed the CT scan and MRI."

He heard many sighs of relief. "Thank goodness. When will Charles wake up?"

"Any minute now."

It was quiet again. Charlie didn't want to be bothered. He kept his eyes closed as he heard footsteps walk around him. He tried to keep his breathing as if he were asleep as he heard everyone else breath.

"Charles?"

Charlie could feel his heart rate go up, they were going to find out he was awake.

Don jerked his head up, He heard the heart monitor speed up, "Buddy? You awake?"

Charlie didn't want to be awake. It hurt. His limbs hurt, his head hurt. Sleep was comfortable. He wanted to sleep, if they still thought that he was asleep, then maybe he would go back to sleep.

"Come on, Wiz Kid. Just open your eyes. We know you are awake."

The heart monitor was calming down. Charlie allowed himself to breath normal, not trying to act like he was asleep anymore. "Charlie. Open your eyes." Amita told him.

He disobeyed.

"Charlie. Please open your eyes." Megan begged.

He disobeyed.

"Charlie. Come on, buddy. Open your eyes." Don asked, stern yet lovingly.

He disobeyed.

"Charlie. Open your eyes for me." Nancy said.

He obeyed.

"Voice. Who?" His vision was slightly blurry, he couldn't make everyone out.

"Nancy. I asked you." She replied, slowly walking to his side, "Do you remember me?"

Nancy? The name was familiar. Maybe if he could see her. That would help. But his eyes were open. "Blurry." He saw a dark head nod.

"Your vision should clear soon." Nancy said, smiling.

Charlie nodded and closed his eyes again.

"How long have you been awake?" Don asked.

"When I believe it was you, dad, and Dr. Roland talking about the seizure, CT scan, MRI, and my memories."

"Oh God." Alan said, "That had to be a horrible way to find you that you had a seizure. Son, I wanted to tell you after you had fully awakened."

Charlie shrugged and opened his eyes again. It wasn't blurry. He smiled slightly, looking around, meeting everyone in the face. He stopped when he saw Nancy.

His face paled, his heart monitor started going faster.

"Charlie?" Don asked, rushing to his brothers side.

"My God." Came his reply.

"What's wrong?" Don asked, hurriedly, trying to calm Charlie down.

"I remember." Charlie whispered.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: I'm thinking about one, two, maybe three more chapters. Probably one or two. Unless I come up with something else to add to the story, which I doubt will happen.

* * *

**

"What? Charlie?" Don was trying to calm Charlie down. His heart monitor wasn't slowing down any and Charlie was still pale. His brother was also not taking his eyes off Nancy.

"I said I remember." Charlie whispered.

Nancy stood there, keeping her eye contact with Charlie as long as she could. "How much?" She asked, her voice felt far away.

Charlie shrugged, "Don't really know." Charlie could remember. But the memories hurt, they were painful. He didn't want to talk about what he had done. He didn't want to talk about what will happen to him. He didn't want to talk. Charlie broke off the eye contact with Nancy by closing his eyes. His heart monitor was not slowing down any.

"I-I'm going to find Dr. Roland." Larry said, leaving the room.  
"I'll help you." Megan left with him.

"Charlie?" Don asked, worried. He could hear how fast Charlie's heart was beating. He could see the trouble on Charlie's face. "Buddy? Come on, calm down."

"Oh God." Don heard his little brother whisper as Don was holding onto him. "What did I do?"

"Shh. Buddy." Don said as everyone in the room was watching. "It's going to be alright." Don was worried at how much Charlie had remembered. If it was most or all of the last two months, then Don did not envy his brother at all. The emotions that Charlie would be feeling would be vast. Don could feel Charlie shutter in his arms, he could hear the heart monitor slowing down. "Just calm down and we can talk about it."

Alan watched his two sons with tears in his eyes. He had wanted to rush and hold Charlie as soon as he had woken up, but he had refrained from that, so not to scare his Little One. But then he wanted to rush and hold Charlie again when he said that he remembered; Don beat him. He smiled a bit, hearing the heart monitor slow. Don was doing fantastic with his younger brother. Margaret would be so proud of her two sons.

The door opened and Dr. Harry Roland came in. "Charlie." He said, walking over to his bed so fast that he seemed to just appear there.

Don let go of Charlie and backed off slightly.

"Dr. Roland." Charlie said, looking down at his hands. His wrists. Where he had cut. Where the scars showed. Where he had been weak.

"I hear you remember?"

Charlie nodded mutely.

"Care to elaborate on that?" Harry asked. Charlie looked around and sighed. Harry nodded. "It seems as if Charlie feels that he needs to tell me this in private. Would you all mind to leave for a bit? While we talk?"

Most everyone nodded and left quietly. Alan and Don where left. "Charlie," Alan said soothingly, "Let us stay, son."

Charlie's eyes flickered to them then back at his wrists. He nodded again, with a shrug.

Dr. Roland sighed and sat down on the left side of Charlie's bed, while Don and Alan sat on the right. "Well, we'd best get started, alright Charlie? What happened?"

Charlie took a breath, "I woke up and heard you all talking. I wanted to go back to sleep, but they all found out that I was awake and they made me open my eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but after my vision cleared I looked around and saw Nancy." He closed his eyes and laid back against his bed, "That wig. That damned wig made me remember some if not all of what happened."

Roland made a note on his clipboard. "Alright. What do you remember?"

Charlie took a breath again before he began. "I remember that I was seeing Dr. Tirry and not taking the medication. I remember hearing a conversation about Don getting shot at." He sighed. "Then next thing I remember is when I woke up in the hospital after I tried to commit suicide. I met Nancy after I ran out of the room when Don said the wrong thing to me." He opened his eyes, "I was doing so well, then Amita showed up. She caught me with a gun. I had failed once again. And I was doomed to fail one more time with pills. Which put me in here." He paused, "I remember Nancy, I remember you and Dr. Tirry, I also remember Matt." Don watched in horror as his brother's eyes started to tear up, "But the math is still gone."

Charlie felt a hand on his shoulder, he smiled when he saw Don, "It'll come back, Buddy." Or at least, that is what Don hoped. Don tried to smile encouragingly to his younger brother, but he was worried that he failed that.

"And," Charlie continued, "Bits and pieces of my life seem to be missing."

"Well, that is normal." Dr. Roland said, "You are moving ahead of schedule actually. Normally it takes patients two weeks to remember what all you just did." He paused, "Want to talk about how that makes you feel? How the regained memories make you feel?"

Charlie chuckled a bit, it sounded hollow and lifeless. The sound actually scared Don. He didn't know his brother could make a sound like that. "Do I want to talk about my feelings?" He closed his eyes, "Not right now. Thank you, Dr. Roland."

Dr. Roland sighed and stood up, "I advise you to talk to someone soon." And with that he left.

"You know how they say that life flashes before you eyes when you die?" Charlie asked, silence followed his question.

Charlie was actually scaring Don. How could his brother be talking about death? Of course, Charlie just remember the three times he tried to kill himself, but his brother has been acting different. Don was worried that his bipolar tendencies were acting up again. The ECT is supposed to get rid of them for a short time, but he had only had three sessions, did that mean that the effects from it didn't last as long? Charlie hadn't been on his medication, Don stared at his brother, silent.

Alan was watching his youngest son, worried. What had gotten into Charlie? He should be happy, right? Charlie had most of his memories back, sure most of them where more depressing than happy, but shouldn't he be glad that he got them back?

"They also flash before you eyes when you regain your memory. You feel the pain again, think those thoughts, all in a matter of seconds."

That took the breath out of Don. No wonder Charlie had been acting that way. It would bother anyone. The last two months have been horrible for his brother, and he got all of those feelings again in a second. All the pain. No, Don did not envy his brother. But he did want to ... Don had to chuckled at himself ... he wanted to take those memories away so that the pain was gone. He shook his head at himself. No, he didn't want to take Charlie's memories away. He wanted his brother to grow stronger from them. Don continued thinking about his younger brother. Charlie said he still didn't remember numbers. Don knew how much math meant to him. He could only imagine what it would be like if he had forgotten how do be and FBI agent. The loss of something that he loved doing so much would be overwhelming.

Don put his hand on Charlie's shoulder, listening to the comfort of the heart monitor, telling him that Charlie was still alive, he hadn't succeeded in any attempt to take his own life. "Oh, Buddy ..."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at his brother, "Don't, Oh Buddy me. You don't know what it's like. You don't know how much it hurts to find out that you really are insane. To find out that you are so crazy that you go through ECT. I thought I was getting stronger, Donnie, but I was wrong."

Don had heard the monitor speed up while Charlie spoke to him, full of anger, guilt, and shame. "Charlie. I know that I don't know how you feel." Don paused, "But it'd be nice if you told me about it. Tried to help me understand. I want to understand, Charlie."

Alan spoke up, "Your brother is right, Charlie. You need to help us understand."

"What if I don't want you to understand?" Charlie asked.

"You have to tell someone, son." Alan tried reasoning.

Charlie nodded, "True. But what if I don't want you both to know how I felt? How weak I was? My misplaced thoughts?" He sighed and shook his head, "If you both knew ..."

"You think we'd think of you differently?" Don asked, getting angry. He wanted to be let into his little brothers life. He wanted to know what was going on in that head of his, "I will not think of you any differently after you tell me how you felt over the past few months, or about how you feel now."

"Liar."

"Charles!" Alan said, getting angry too, "Do not call your brother a liar!"

Charlie scoffed. "He is. Even with me not telling him how I've felt, he thinks of my differently."

"Charlie." Don said very stern, "I do not think of you any differently!"

Charlie had been listening to his heart monitor, it was slowly getting faster, being as he was getting worked up, "Alright Don. Say that you don't. Say that you think of my the same way you thought of me before any of this happened, before I heard about you getting shot, before I cut my wrists and before I smiled as I felt the life slowly draining from my body. How happy I was knowing that I wouldn't trouble anyone in their perfect lives anymore. Before all of that you thought I was a wonderful genius and how you had to be careful with incase he broke. And now, you think that I have broken. Cracked! And because of finding out that I needed ECT to get better, I was worse than being cracked, I was shattered!" Charlie watched as Don became speechless.

Don slumped his shoulders and sighed. Charlie was right. He had thought that his brother was easily broken. And then he cracked. Shattered. Don looked back at Charlie when his brother continued talking.

"But, Don. I'm not shattered. I'm not cracked and I sure as hell am not broken. I am not a toy or a piece of glass. I am a human being. And the reason why I 'broke' and 'cracked' before is because you and everyone else seemed for forget that. You all seemed to forget that I had feelings, that I needed to sleep sometime, that I can't do all that work without time off." Charlie paused, watching how is brother was taking all of this new information. "And the worst part, the part that made me feel like I was not even alive to anyone, was that no one even said 'thank you' or 'great job, Charlie'. But when I helped you with a case, you got all kinds of praises. I got nothing. I used to. But they stopped coming. But I continued to try and live, because you were my brother and you didn't lie to me. You kept me in my place, as a tool for you to use in order to solve the crimes. But then I found out that you lied to me. That you didn't tell me because you were afraid that I'd 'break' if I found out that you got hurt on a job. Well, good job at that, Donnie. I did 'break' after I found out that you got hurt. Wanna know why? Because you didn't even see me human enough to talk to about other things than work." Charlie sighed and closed his eyes, he laid down on his bed. Listening to the heart monitor slow down.

"Feel better?" Alan asked his son.

Charlie nodded. "Yes."

Alan smiled. "Good. Glad you got all of that off your chest."

"Buddy, I," Don started, choking on the words, "I didn't know. I'm so sor-"

"Just leave it be." Charlie said, his voice was back to normal. It wasn't raised or full of anger and guilt. "I'm tired."

Don swallowed, "Alright, buddy. Get some rest."

* * *

Don had been asleep in a chair beside Charlie.

Alan had been asleep in a chair beside Charlie.

Charlie had been asleep, but he woke up. And he didn't even bother opening his eyes. He had to get his math back. He needed it. He was lost without it. Charlie fought down bitter tears when he tried to recite Pi, but only came up with 3.14. "I wanna see it."

"-see it." Don woke up to Charlie's voice. "Buddy?"

Charlie opened his eyes, "Oh. I woke you. Sorry." He smiled at his brother, "Go back to sleep."

Don shook his head, "Nah. I'm awake now. What do you say?"

"I wanna see it."

"Help me out, Chuck. What is 'it'?" Don was amazed at how Charlie was acting like himself, not even mentioning the previous conversation.

"Not Chuck. Math." Charlie answered simply.

"Huh?" Don asked, rubbing the excess sleep from his eyes.

Charlie sighed. "I was working some math problems with Matt. I think that if I saw what I had been teaching him that it may trigger my math memory and I could remember more than 3.14."

3.14? Don had to think about that. Something to do with math. Oh, pi. Don stared at his brother. "Tell me you remember more than 3.14 of pi."

Charlie looked down at his wrists.

"Oh, this is bad." Don said, "I know more of pi than you do."

Charlie's head shot up, "What?" he asked rushed.

"3.14592." Don stated off the top of his head.

Charlie ran his fingers through his hair. "Next thing we know you will solve P vs. NP and I will be winning at scrabble."

Don made a face, "All, come on. That'd never happen. No matter how much you wish it, you will never beat me at scrabble." He paused, "The other part, maybe ..."

Charlie glared at Don, "I was being sarcastic of course. You would never solve P vs. NP."

Don acted shocked, "Are you saying that I could never solve and unsolvable math problem?"

Charlie nodded, "Exactly what I'm saying."

Don laughed, "Alright. Should I go and find Matt? Because I have no idea where this math work is."

Charlie nodded. "Sure. And I'll do my best to let dad sleep." He grinned mischievously.

Don rolled his eyes and went out to find Matt.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: w00t. Numb3rs is on tomorrow! Make sure you watch it.

* * *

**

Charlie waited in his room for his brother to come back and get him. He looked at his father, who was still asleep. Charlie sighed and looked around. He'd never be able to leave the room with the monitor and IVs hooked up to him. All he needed to do was shut off the monitor and unhook himself. Simple enough? It should be. But Charlie couldn't move around easily with it all attached to him.

Don walked in, smiling, with three people following him. His smiled faded as he rushed up to Charlie, "What are you doing?"

Charlie sighed and stopped moving about, "I was trying to get all this stuff off of me. But it's harder to do than say."

Matt smiled and walked up, "Let me help."

Charlie nodded and smiled back, remembering his friend. "Sure."

Soon Charlie was free from the machines, he looked around and stared at the other two.

Don followed his brother's gaze. "Oh, yeah. They were coming in to see you and I figured that they could help you if you don't understand the math right away."

Charlie nodded and smiled. "Nice to see you both."

"And good to see you again, Charles." Larry said.

"I hear we are taking a field trip?" Amita asked, raising an eyebrow.

Charlie shook his head, "More like a math trip."

* * *

Charlie stood still at the door, everyone was waiting. But he was so scared. What if he didn't remember? What would he be then? The only thing he was ever really good at was math, he'd have to get a new skills, new job, new life. He started to panic. Would math ever be the same? Even if he did remember how the numbers went? What if they didn't call to him anymore? What if they couldn't hold his attention? What if they wouldn't or couldn't embrace him when he needed them? Charlie shifted his weight between his feet. He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

"You alright, Charlie?" Amita asked, worried for her friend.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah. Just thinking."

"Don't worry, Charlie." Matt said, suddenly standing beside his friend, "You're a natural at math." He smiled, "Remember, you've been teaching me. The number will come back."

Charlie sighed, and nodded. "Alright." He put his hand out and opened the door.

Charlie slowly walked into the room and he stared at the boards with his scribbles on it. He smiled as he noticed that he had misspelled a word again. He shrugged it off, spelling was never his thing, math was. He felt as though it was just him and the chalk board in the room, nothing else, no one else. He felt at peace. He touched the board with his hand, feeling the chalk dust caress his fingers like a lost lover. He smiled to himself and saw the chalk. Yes. That's what he needed, wanted. He picked it up and it fit perfectly in his hand. It felt lightweight, as if it always belonged there, and it did. He listened as he drew the first line of a number on the board. The sound was music to his ears. He shuttered in pleasure.

Matt stood back beside Don. Don stood back beside Larry. Larry stood back beside Amita. They all watched Charlie with a smile on their face. Charlie had found numbers again. Or the numbers found him.

The sound of chalk on the board was soothing to Don. His brother was going to be okay. He was going to get Charlie back. The old Charlie. The one he hasn't seen in months. He could let his brother go on with the numbers till he swoons from exhaustion. Don shook his head, knowing that he couldn't let Charlie do that. But he could let Charlie have sometime with his long lost love.

Amita smiled. She knew that Charlie would get his numbers back. They wouldn't leave him behind. Math was his life. She sighed, if the numbers hadn't had welcomed him, she would have. When he was better, of course. Amita knew that the reason why their relationship had never been able to get past friends is because of Charlie's mistress - math. But she had moved on, in Harvard. She had a boyfriend. They had been out on a few dates and when called him, telling him that she would be staying in California, he understood. She loved that about him. He understood. Charlie only understood math, nothing else. She watched him write frantically and knew that Charlie would die with chalk in his hand.

Larry watched his friend in disbelief. He had never seen a love like that before. He realized that Charlie was nothing without his math, that his friend had felt alone with out it. Larry had seen Charlie work like that before, get so excited about math, he had visited and watched many math classes. It was when he saw Charlie embrace the numbers on the board and in the chalk that he knew that his friend was going to alright.

Matt was in awe. He had no idea that Charlie loved math so much. He had to get into CalSci and learn more from his friend. He just had too. He had to learn to get as excited as his friend. He had to see this man teach others how to love math as he apparently did. He smiled, knowing that Charlie was still a genius who's math had not abandoned him.

* * *

Charlie had his tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly. The dust was all over his hands, face, and hair. He even had to blink some of the dust out of his eyes. He stands back, not knowing how long he had been at the board. He stares at it. He finished the equation about his mind. He understood it now, he had enough information to get the answer. He drummed his fingers against his chest, cocking his head to the side, staring at the math. Was it right? What if he thought that the numbers had come back, but they lied to him. No, the math was right. Charlie smiled. He was so happy, he could jump up and down, run around the room yelling about math, tell others. He lifted his hand to his eye level, staring at the chalk. It had started out unused, new, right from the box. He cocked his head to the other side as he noticed that there was hardly any of it left. He wondered how he could keep a hold of such a small piece. Charlie grins as he lets the piece drop the floor. He hears the clack and closes his eyes. He slowly turns around and opens his eyes again. What he saw shocked him. 

Don, Amita, Larry, Matt, Alan, Dr. Harry Roland, and a few people he had never seen before had been watching him. He blinked at them all. Don's eyes had a range of emotions showing, Amita's were wet, Larry's were smiling, Matt's was in awe, Alan's was of relief, and Dr. Roland's were pleased. Charlie wondered what his eyes showed.

Charlie walked up to them all, he couldn't stop himself from grinning.

"My," Dr. Roland began. "You sure look white."

Charlie is confused by his doctors statement. He looked down at his hands and smiled. "Right. The dust."

"So, what did you find out?" Don asked, "What was the equation that you worked so hard on?"

"My brain. It was an equation about my mind."

"Charles." Larry started, "You tried to use math to find out how your brain worked? How your thoughts came about?"

Charlie nodded happily.

Alan looked at the board, he could see the final answer, it was in a square. He read it, "What do you mean by 'unsolvable'?"

Charlie laughed, "What do you think it means, Dad? It means that I cannot use math to find out why I had gone crazy."

"But, math is everything." Matt stated, "You told me that."

Charlie nodded, smile on his face, "It is. But here's a lesson for you today, Not all math can be known. If we knew all we could about math and the things that math told us, there would be no reason for research or for theories. No reason to keep on asking questions and finding out things for yourself. So, for now, my mind is unsolvable, but given time, math will find a way to solve it. But today is not that time."

Don is in shock. He didn't think he would ever hear Charlie say that. He knew that when Charlie was brought up against an unsolvable problem, that he worked that much harder to solve it. Don thought carefully, maybe deep down, Charlie didn't want to solve it. Maybe he didn't want to know why he had gone crazy. Don could only smile at his brother, who was covered in chalk, like he should be. "Come on, Buddy. You need to get back to your room and rest."

Charlie nodded slowly, as if on cue, he seemed to be having trouble standing. He felt so weak. He smiled slightly. He was strong. He pushed down the weakness for a few minutes, until he was safe in a bed. He stood and nodded once. "Alright. Let's go."

He started walking and was about to fall when he felt his brother's hand on his back, helping him stay standing. he leaned toward his brother. He chuckled happily, seeing that he was getting Don covered in chalk dust. He looked up at Don, "How long was I there?"

"Where?" Don asked, confused.

"In front of the board, doing math?"

Don sighed and shook his head, "We were worried about how you went to the board and started writing frantically. We each tried to reach you, tell you to slow down, but you never did."

Charlie looked down at his feet as he walked. His family and friends had probably worried about him being so deep in his work again. He knew that they always worried when he got like that. "Sorry."

"What? Oh, don't be sorry, buddy. You had missed your math. It made sense that you held onto it and held on tight." Don said, trying to make his brother feel better. He had worried, but he didn't want Charlie to know.

"So, how long was it?" Charlie asked again.

Don didn't want to tell him. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't that long." _Well, not as long as some other times you've gone math obsessed like that.It was only about 20 hours of pure math._ Don thought, remembering some other times when his brother had fainted from exhaustion, or when Don had to literally pull his brother away from the math kicking and screaming.

Charlie sighed. Don wasn't answering him. He knew that it must have been a long time then. But how long? A day? Days? He looked at Don. Well, his brother was wearing the same clothes as last time he saw him. So it must not have been that long.

Charlie smiled happily when they got him in his bed. He looked around the room to see his family and friends. He closed his eyes.

"Go ahead and go to sleep." Alan told his son, stroking his hair, "You've had a long day."

Charlie nodded, letting sleep embrace him.

"We should still have him take an IQ test." Dr. Roland said, after he was sure that Charlie was asleep.

Alan nodded. "Yes. I understand."

Harry smiled, "I'm just glad that Charlie got his math back."

"Me too." Alan agreed.

* * *

Dr. Roland smiled. "Great news." He walked into Charlie's room to see his patient with his father and brother staring up at him, as if he was crazy himself. "IQ didn't drop any." 

"Thank God." Don said, leaning back in his chair. He looked over at his brother. Charlie seemed to be beaming. It had been a few days since his re-acquaintance with math, he wondered how Charlie would have taken if it his IQ would have dropped any.

Charlie had to build up his courage to ask. He took a deep breath ready to start, "Dr. Roland?"

"Yes, Charlie?"

"Can I go home now?"

Harry laughed, "Of course, Charlie. I've actually been waiting for you to ask that for a few days now."

"Really?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I thought that as soon as you got your memories back you would be pleading me to go home."

Charlie smiled, nodding. "I wanted too. But I thought that if I stayed here until I got the IQ results back, I would be stronger in the long run."

Alan patted Charlie on the back, "It'll be great having you at home again, Son."

"It'll be great to be home again."

* * *

**A/N (again): Well, one more chapter left. Then the story is over. Kinda sad. I had fun writing it.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Standard still applies.  
A/N: Hope you all like the ending.

* * *

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**Epilogue

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**

Matt York walked around slowly. He couldn't stop grinning, he was so happy to be at CalSci. It was his first day. School had been out for the summer and he watched as everyone was buzzing about, getting the final preparations ready. He looked down at his schedule. His first class with Professor Charlie Eppes. Matt had a lot to thank to his friend, being as without Charlie's input, Matt knew that CalSci would have never accepted him. Too bad Matt couldn't find Charlie or his class room.

* * *

Charlie was in his office, with Larry standing beside him. Charlie was really very nervous. What if his classes where empty now? What if the students didn't want to learn from someone who had spent last year crazy? It had been so long since he was last teaching. Charlie grabbed the paper bag to breath into that Larry gave him.

Larry watched Charlie breath in the bag. He was very glad that he remembered to think ahead and bring a bag. Charlie had gotten the okay to teach again, and for weeks now, Charlie had been ecstatic. Larry looked down at his friend, but now, he was worried, nervous, but yet still ecstatic. When Charlie had calmed down, Larry took the bag away. "Now, Charles. Just stay calm. I don't have a class this morning, so if you desire I can accompany you. Of course I will be sitting in the back of the room and only for support."

Charlie nodded, "Yeah. That'd be great, Larry." He stood up and looked at this watch. "Class will be starting soon. I'd better get in there." He turned towards the door and just stood there.

Larry put his hand on Charlie's back, "Charles. It will be fine, great even." He slowly pushed his friend forward, to the door.

* * *

Ellen Booth smiled. She heard that Dr. Eppes was back. She had missed him while he was away. He just made math so easy to understand. In fact, she was having to take the freshman class over again because the professor who took over for Dr. Eppes did not explain it in a way so that she understood, and he didn't really seem to care about the students. Many of them had failed and where taking the class over again.

She looked around the campus and found someone who looked lost. She looked him up and down and decided that she'd help the cute new guy. She walked up, "Hello."

"Hi." He smiled looking around again.

"Lost?" She asked, knowing the answer.

He chuckled, "Yeah. Just a bit." He shook his head, "Sorry. I'm Matt, Matt York."

"Ellen Booth." They shook hands. "So, want me to help you out?" She looked down at his schedule. "Can't find Dr. Eppes' class?"

"Dr. Eppes?" Matt asked, blinking. "Oh. Charlie." He nodded. "Yeah. Can't find Char ... I mean Dr. Eppes' class. Can you help me?" He asked, not used to calling his friend Charlie.

Ellen picked up on this, "Why are you calling him Charlie?" She started walking.

He followed her, "Uh. He's actually the reason why I got into CalSci. We're friends."

She raised an eyebrow, "Really?" She smiled at him, "That's amazing. I've only had him as a teacher and then after what happened last year, he didn't teach us long." She paused, "Do you know what happened last year?"

Matt nodded, "More than you know." He looked around and saw Larry pushing Charlie down towards them. "Charlie! Larry!" Matt said happily, walking up to them.

"Mathew." Larry nodded a greeting. "It appears as if Charles is having difficulty finding the nerves to enter the lecture hall."

Ellen had followed Matt to the two professors, "Hello Dr. Eppes, Dr. Fleinhardt."

"Hello Ellen." Larry said smiling, still guiding Charlie to the room.

Charlie smiled slightly at the two of them.

Matt patted Charlie on the arm, "Hey, Charlie. Don't worry about it. You're a great teacher! You have no reason to be nervous."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Sure. Like I'd believe you. Crazies don't scare you in the least."

Matt laughed at that, "Oh. That's not always true. Some of them are really scary."

Ellen started to speak, "Dr. Eppes, Matt is right. You have no reason to be nervous. I'm taking the class again because after you left, I didn't understand any of it. I was hoping that you were teaching again this year otherwise I would have dropped that class. It's just that you make math so easy."

Charlie nodded, "Now that I will believe." He smiled, feeling better about himself and his teaching. "I just don't trust these two to tell me the truth." He said, obviously talking about Larry and Matt, "Being as they are friends, they tell white lies and all that kind of stuff."

Ellen laughed, "I know what you mean. But they are just trying to help you when they do that."

Charlie nodded and then froze, they in front of the door.

"Charles." Larry asked, "Would you like the paper bag again?"

Charlie shook his head and took a deep breath, smiling. "I'll be fine." He walked into the room which was filling up quickly.

* * *

Don was amazed at how fast the lecture hall was filling up. He stared in wonder. _All of these people want to learn math from my brother._ He chuckled to himself, watching his little brother walk in with Larry, Matt, and a young woman. He watched as they left Charlie down in front and Matt and the woman took their seats. Larry had seen Don sitting in the back of the room and he went to join him. "Hey." Don said, moving so that Larry could get a seat.

"He's very nervous."

Don nodded, "I can tell. But I think that the rumor of him being totally crazy has helped his class. I don't think I've ever seen it this full before."

Alan sat down next to his eldest son, "Me either. He will have his hands full with this class." Alan watched his youngest son get ready to talk to the students down in front. "I'm glad he's teaching again."

Dr. Harry Roland situated himself in the chair. "He can handle it, even if he thinks he can't." He paused, "He did take his medicine today, right?"

Alan nodded, "Of course."

Don looked up, "Oh. Glad they showed up. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold onto three extra seats." He moved so that Megan, David, and Colby could get a seat in back.

"I'm so excited." Megan said, beaming.

Colby watched Charlie wearily, "Sure he's ready? He looks like he's going to have a panic attack."

"He'll be fine." Alan said, pausing, "Right?"

Harry nodded. "I'm sure of it."

"I didn't know that Charlie had so many people coming to his classes." David said, in awe at the large group.

"It is rather astonishing." Larry said, his head resting on his hands.

The six of them sat quietly, ready for class to start.

* * *

Charlie had his eyes closed, listening to the students file into his room.

He was keeping his breathing calm. He was keeping his thoughts on track. He was going to get through this day. He was going to teach again.

Charlie sighed and opened his eyes, the room was getting full. He wondered if it was because more people wanted to learn math or if people just wanted to say their teacher was insane. He shrugged and made sure he had all of his notes. Charlie didn't need his notes, he'd been over them so much that he knew them by heart, but Charlie was nervous.

He looked and saw his chalk. He had always made sure that he was in a lecture all with a blackboard and chalk, not with the markers. He wanted to be embraced by dust and not that horrible marker smell.

He heard the class room quiet down. His back was too them and he knew he had to confront them and start to talk. Charlie sighed, closing his eyes one last time, running everything through his head. He was strong now. He chuckled to himself, he was still taking medication, but that didn't surprise him any. Bipolar was something that he had to live with. Pretty soon he may not need his medicine and just do therapy weekly with Dr. Roland. Charlie knew that he was strong. And he knew what he needed to do.

* * *

Don watched Charlie with his back to the class. He was silently worried for his sibling. He knew that Charlie was strong now, but what if he wasn't strong enough?

His worry left him as he watched Charlie turn around, looking as he should. A great big smile on his face, and the energy seemed to radiate off him. Charlie was in his element. And Don felt like he was given a great privilege to watch his brother work.

* * *

Charlie sighed, facing the class. Wow, it was really full. He shook his head slightly, that was good. More math students. He slowly walked in front of the class. It was dead silent in the room, everyone waiting for him to talk.

Charlie took a breath ...

"Hello. I'm Dr. Eppes." He paused, his grin widening as his fear and worry was replaced with the joy of teaching, "Let's get started, shall we?" He asked, rubbing his hands together excited.

* * *

Fin

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**A/N (again): Well, my very fist Numb3rs fanfiction is done. Sad really, I'm going to miss writing it. Don't worry, there will be more Numb3rs stories coming from me in the future.  
Also, I want to mention that I actually have an idea for a sequel to this story, and if people demand a sequel, I will write it. But if no one tells me that they want a sequel, I won't write it.  
But before I write anymore Numb3rs stories I will have to finish all my other fanfictions that I've been ignoring.  
Well, I think I'm done rambling.  
Thank you for reading my story, I hope you liked it.**

**Sushi Chi**


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